Design of Active Continuous Variable Transmission Control System with Planetary Gear

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

In this study, the authors try to make a control method for a CVT system, a planetary type gear box.

It has been used for many transmission purposes including cars, wind turbines and etc. We know it is a useful mechanical system. 

In this study, an active method is applied for improving the usefulness of it. However, the followings should be clearly provided for readers.

1. The reason for this study should be presented. The planetary gear has been used for many purposes in this time without any serious and negative issue.
2. The final target for achieving is clearly presented with comparing study not just simulation result.
3. I doubt that the information about physical parameters is correct. 
4. The physical model was given already and be found in the text. It means that the modeling is easy without any hard difficulty. 
5. The novel idea or method for improving something should be presented. I can not find any interesting point. (including control strategy)
6. The references all are too old which implies this study would be a sign of lack of new idea. 

Author Response

Paper Title: Design of Active Continuous Variable Transmission Control System with Planetary Gear

Manuscript ID: electronics-1627745

Authors: Wu-Sung Yao and Chun-Yi Lin

 

Dear Reviewer

 

Thank you very much for your email dated March 14, 2022 regarding the Reviewers and Editor’s favorable decision on the revised paper. We really appreciate the reviewer’s assistance to refine the manuscript. We have revised the paper in accordance with the comments. Detailed explanations are provided in the attached Response to Reviewers’ Comments. For your convenience, all of the corrections are marked in RED in the revised version.

 

Please let me know if there is any other question. We really appreciate your assistance during the reviewing process.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Wu-Sung Yao, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Mechatronics Engineering

National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology

No 1 University Rd., Yanchao District, Kaohsiung 824, TAIWAN

wsyao@nkust.edu.tw

 

 

 

 

 

RESPONSE TO THE REVIEWER’S COMMENTS

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Reviewer 1

Comment: In this study, the authors try to make a control method for a CVT system, a planetary type gear box. It has been used for many transmission purposes including cars, wind turbines and etc. We know it is a useful mechanical system. In this study, an active method is applied for improving the usefulness of it. However, the followings should be clearly provided for readers.

• Response:

      Many thanks to the reviewer’s comments. According to the reviewer’s suggestions, the revised paper has been well reorganized to clear express the works of this study.

 

Comments 1: The reason for this study should be presented. The planetary gear has been used for many purposes in this time without any serious and negative issue.

 

• Response:

      Many thanks to the reviewer’s comments. In this paper, an active transmission motion control system is proposed that appropriately stable regulates the speed of a generator. At each terminals of mechanical gear sets, the revealed motion equations are utilized to construct its block diagram. A method to analysis kinematic equations and its block diagram for the planetary gear is described. The feedback and feedforward in control are exported to illustrate the speed-reduction and -increasing function in kinematics. Observing the accordance between control methods and kinematics, the paper provides another view for other field engineers to understand the mechanical design thinking. The corresponding explanations have been added in the revised version. Please refer to Pages 3, 8, 15, 21, and 22 of the revised version.

 

 

Comments 2: The final target for achieving is clearly presented with comparing study not just simulation result.

 

• Response:

      Many thanks to the reviewer’s comments. In the experimental setup for the proposed ACVT control system, two input ports and one output port are given. The motions of the two gears can be controlled to the required motion output of the third gear to achieve the ACVT system. More experimental results for the velocities and torques responses of the planetary gear control system have been added in the revised version (see Pages 13~15 of the revised version).The simulated and experimental results for the steady state responses of the velocities and torques of the three gears are shown in Figs. 15~26 of the revised version (see Pages 16~21 of the revised version). The corresponding explanations have been added in the revised version. Please refer to Pages 15, 21, and 22.

 

Comments 3: I doubt that the information about physical parameters is correct.

 

• Response:

      Many thanks to the reviewer’s comments. The corresponding parameters of the proposed planetary gear is determined by the software CATIA. To avoid to confuse the target of the paper and to consider the required length limited of the publish paper, the detailed information of the simulations for the CATIA with finite element method is not included in this paper. The corresponding explanations have been added on Page 11 the revised version.

 

Comments 4: The physical model was given already and be found in the text. It means that the modeling is easy without any hard difficulty.

 

• Response:

      Many thanks to the reviewer’s comments. Regarding the control modeling, this study has two methods to determine the mathematics of the control modeling. One method is the parameters estimation by the finite element analysis of the software CATIA, through the given material information and the proposed machine sizes. Therefore, with the simulated parameters of the control model in Fig. 9 of the previous version (now being Fig. 8 of the revised version), the controller can be designed for the required performance. The other method is frequency response measurement by a harmonic analyzer. Observing Fig. 7 of the previous version (now being deleted in the revised version), the model of the planetary gear control system is a cross-coupling system, where one motor is mechanically coupled to the other motor, its dynamic behavior is influenced by the mechanics of the coupled system, i.e., the mechanical coupling and the other motor. Therefore, more complex mathematic modeling process should be done by closed-loop identification method [a], which is more complex. Therefore, the parameters estimation by the finite element analysis of the software CATIA is adopted in this paper. To avoid to confuse, Fig. 7 has been removed in the revised version. Moreover, the specifications of the planetary gear have clear been listed in the Table 1. More explanations have been added in the revised version. (Please refer to Pages 11 and 12 of the revised version)

 

[a] W.S. Yao*, “Modeling and Synchronous Control of Dual Mechanically-Coupled Linear Servo System,” ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement and Control, Vol. 137, No.4, 041009, April 2015.

 

 

Comments 5: The novel idea or method for improving something should be presented. I cannot find any interesting point. (including control strategy)

 

• Response:

      Many thanks to the reviewer’s comments. In this paper, an active transmission motion control system is proposed that appropriately stable regulates the speed of a generator. At each terminals of mechanical gear sets, the revealed tangent-velocity equations are utilized to plot block diagram. A method to analysis kinematic equations and its block diagram for the planetary gear is described. The feedback and feedforward in control are exported to illustrate the speed-reduction and -increasing function in kinematics. Observing the accordance between control methods and kinematics, the paper provides another view for other field engineers to understand the mechanical design thinking. The corresponding explanations have been added on Page 3 of the revised version.

 

Comments 6: The references all are too old which implies this study would be a sign of lack of new idea.

 

• Response:

      Many thanks to the reviewer’s comments. According to the reviewer’s suggestions, more related references have been added (see Pages 22 and 23 of the revised version) and the statement (see Pages 2 and 3 of the revised version) is also obtained in the revised paper to clear express the works of this study.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

According to this reviewer’s opinion, this manuscript is suitable for publication in Electronics on the understanding that the authors will elaborate the manuscript complying with the comments that are listed below:

1. Figures should not be provided in the Introduction section. 
2. The literature review in the Introduction section should be extended.
3. In the conclusion section, some bulletpoints that include the main findings should be included.

Author Response

Paper Title: Design of Active Continuous Variable Transmission Control System with Planetary Gear

Manuscript ID: electronics-1627745

Authors: Wu-Sung Yao and Chun-Yi Lin

 

Dear Reviewer

 

Thank you very much for your email dated March 14, 2022 regarding the Reviewers and Editor’s favorable decision on the revised paper. We really appreciate the reviewer’s assistance to refine the manuscript. We have revised the paper in accordance with the comments. Detailed explanations are provided in the attached Response to Reviewers’ Comments. For your convenience, all of the corrections are marked in RED in the revised version.

 

Please let me know if there is any other question. We really appreciate your assistance during the reviewing process.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Wu-Sung Yao, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Mechatronics Engineering

National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology

No 1 University Rd., Yanchao District, Kaohsiung 824, TAIWAN

wsyao@nkust.edu.tw

 

 

 

 

 

RESPONSE TO THE REVIEWER’S COMMENTS

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Reviewer 2

Comment: In this study, the authors try to make a control method for a CVT system, a planetary type gear box. It has been used for many transmission purposes including cars, wind turbines and etc. We know it is a useful mechanical system. In this study, an active method is applied for improving the usefulness of it. However, the followings should be clearly provided for readers.

• Response:

      Many thanks to the reviewer’s comments. According to the reviewer’s suggestions, the revised paper has been well reorganized to clear express the works of this study. The corresponding explanations have been added in the revised version.

 

 

Comments 1: Figures should not be provided in the Introduction section.

 

• Response:

      Many thanks to the reviewer’s comments. According to the reviewer’s suggestions, Fig. 1 of the previous version has been deleted and Fig. 2 has been removed to section 2 in the revised version. (Please refer to Pages 1, 3 and 4)

 

Comments 2: The literature review in the Introduction section should be extended.

 

• Response:

      Many thanks to the reviewer’s comments. According to the reviewer’s suggestions, more related references have been added (see Pages 22 and 23) and the statement (see Pages 2 and 3) is also obtained in the revised paper to clear express the works of this study.

 

Comments 3: In the conclusion section, some bulletpoints that include the main findings should be included.

 

• Response:

      Many thanks to the reviewer’s comments. The conclusion has been improved to clear express the works of this study. Please refer to Pages 21 and 22 of the revised version.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

This reviewer evaluates the revised version has been properly modified.  

I do not have any comment more.