Final Report Summary - MAGBOX (Aeronautical Magnetic Gear Box)
The main objective of MAGBOX project is to develop an aeronautic oriented magnetic gear box to be integrated in a eletromechanical actuator. The aim of the project is to design, develop, and manufacture a full functional prototype for testing and qualifying according to DO-160E standard. This MAGBOX provides an overload protection. The final product "MAGBOX" is a magnetic gear stage useful for any kind of mechanism in which an antijamming device is required or recommended. It includes aeronautic actuators but also other mechanical systems in automotive, machinery, well drillers and others. The prototype of the FP7 MAGBOX project has been successfully tested in a relevant environment. It has shown a full functionality (24 Nm and 2250 rpm nominal operation rates) in all the temperature range (-55 to +90 C), good accuracy (< 0.5 degrees) and high efficiency (> 99 %) with a high reliability in the parts at all the temperature range even after survival temperature exposure (-74 and 110 C). The prototype has successfully borne 300 jamming (overload protection) events. Therefore, the prototype has been fully qualified for aerospace applications up to a Technology Readiness Level 6.
Project Context and Objectives:
There are two main objectives for this project:
• The first objective is to provide a Material Review Board of theoretical estimates of the weight, cost and reliability of a magnetic gearbox (MAGBOX) sampled over a wide range of reduction ratios, torques and diameters; and afterwards to design an optimised magnetic gearbox MAGBOX valued in terms of weight/cost for a specific reduction ratio and its associated torque capability.
• The second main objective is to manufacture and test an optimised demonstrator prototype of magnetic gearbox suitable to be integrated in a eletromechanical actuator for use in aircrafts.
Project Results:
An automatic material review board software provides estimation of the length, total weight and total cost of magnetic gearboxes according to the requirements specified as input parameters for three different magnetic gear architectures. Computer simulations have been carried out for tenths of magnetic gears providing a solid knowledge of the effect of different design parameters on critical characteristics as weight, maximum transmitted torque, size, magnetic pollution, damping, heat released and reliability.
The prototype of the FP7 MAGBOX project has been designed, build and successfully tested in dedicated test bench. It has shown a full functionality (24 Nm and 2250 rpm nominal operation rates) in all the temperature range (-55 to +90 C), good accuracy (< 0.5 degrees) and high efficiency (> 99 %) with a high reliability in the parts at all the temperature range even after survival temperature exposure (-74 and 110 C). The prototype has successfully borne 300 jamming (overload protection) events. Therefore, the prototype has been fully qualified for aerospace applications up to a Technology Readiness Level 6.
Potential Impact:
The main impact of the results is that the MAGBOX prototype provides a unique new element for protection against overloads in aircraft actuation systems. With an appropriate design of the kinematic chain the MAGBOX prevents the most catastrophic effects in case of jamming.
The market for this kind of new device is wide. According to the topic manager the TL could be mounted in the new A30X, successor of A320 (released forecasted 2020), with a commercial forecast of 400 A/C per year. Therefore, 400 x 2 equipments per plane give 800 eqpt/year and if the A30X commercial life time is 40 years, the total expected number of TL is 32 000 units.
Besides the immediate application of the TL to the A30X plane, the strategy for exploitation will therefore be directed to a selected dissemination among the stakeholders of mechanisms for aerospace. The exploitation will be probably agreed with MAG SOAR SL which has shown interest in the product.
As part of the dissemination activities (articles and conferences contributions), a number of private demonstrations with the prototype and visits with video projections have been done. These include ESA, Airbus Military, Astrium, Airbus, SKF, Bombardier, SCNF, RENFE, SUMA and other.
List of Websites:
José Luis Pérez Díaz – Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
Av de la universidad 30, 28911, Leganés, Spain.
Email: jlperez@ing.uc3m.es / jlpd68@gmail.com