Adaptronics Department
Since 1989 the department of Adaptronics works as one of the first European research groups on solutions in the field of smart-structures technology. With their experience adaptive systems comprising structural material, distributed actuators and sensors, control strategies and power conditioning electronics across all lines of business can be realised. Applications range from space systems to fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, automotive, optical systems, machine tools, medical systems and infrastructure.
An adaptive system has the capability to respond to changing environmental and operational conditions (such as vibrations and shape change). Microprocessors analyse the responses of the sensors and use integrated control algorithms to command the actuators to apply localized strains/displacements/damping to alter the elasto-mechanical system response.
Within national and international interdisciplinary teams the department of Adaptronics focuses the research on the following areas:
- active attenuation of vibrations (e.g. for parallel robots, antennas)
- active structural acoustic control (e.g. for CFRP fuselages, magnetic resonance tomography)
- morphing structures (e.g. for high lift devices, rotor blades)
- stand-alone systems (e.g. energy harvesting, shunted systems)
"From functional composites to the adaptive systems"
Competences
The department of Adatronics offers its competences to customers and project partners starting from consulting and system analysis up to the design of adaptive systems:
- experimental methods for structural dynamical and vibro-acoustical system analysis
- experimental deformation analysis of large structures
- development of actuator and sensor systems
- modelling and numerical simulation of complex adaptive systems
- controller development and implementation
- system integration and validation
- demonstration of adaptive systems and their components