Modeling, Design, and Optimization of Flexible Mechanical Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Flexible mechanical systems are present in a growing number of fields, which include robotics, aerospace and manufacturing. In the development of, e.g., compliant mechanisms and collaborative robots, flexibility is a desired design feature. Flexibility, however, can also be a negative result of lightweight design, high loads, and high-speed operation, which need to be constrained. Consideration of flexibility is therefore of great consequence in the design and analysis of high-performance mechanisms. As such, dynamic models must take flexibility into account to ensure accuracy but be as simple as possible to maintain adequate numerical conditioning and computational efficiency. Innovative and novel modeling approaches are of special interest, as well as techniques of model validation and parameter identification. Once properly modeled and their requirements formulated, diverse methods can be used to design and dimension of flexible mechanical systems. These include structural modification and design optimization, which can be used to optimally design such systems. This Special Issue of the journal Applied Sciences encompasses the modeling, analysis, design, and optimization of flexible mechanical systems.

We invite contributions to this Special Issue on topics including but not limited to the following:

• Modeling of flexible and compliant mechanisms with:
  • Multibody dynamics;
  • Finite elements;
• Modeling aspects:
  • Vibrations;
  • Nonlinear dynamics;
  • Nonlinear geometry for large deformations;
  • Numerical aspects;
  • Design sensitivity;
• Model validation:
  • Parameter identification;
  • Model updating;
• Design of flexible and compliant mechanisms:
  • Utilizing natural motion;
  • Analytical methods;
  • Design optimization;
  • Topology optimization;
  • Structural modification;
• Applications including, but not limited to:
  • Lightweight robotics;
  • Morphing aerospace structures;
  • Mechatronic systems;
  • Manufacturing systems.

Prof. Dr. Renato Vidoni
Dr.-Ing. Erich Wehrle
Dr. Ilaria Palomba
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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