Masters Degrees (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering) by Author "Andersen, Eduard Petrus"

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    Development of a fast and accurate positioning system for barrel wear measurements
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) Andersen, Eduard Petrus; Schreve, Kristiaan; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY: Howitzer gun barrel wear is caused by the normal operation of the guns and is measured as the growth of internal diameter. The amount of wear impacts the ballistic performance of a gun and is used as a metric to determine the remaining life of a barrel. Furthermore, test regulations specify that only barrels within their first quarter of barrel life may be used for ammunition production related tests. This thesis details the design and testing of a fast and accurate positioning device for a barrel erosion research measurement instrument (BERMI). The instrument currently uses a crawler to position itself in the barrel, but this has several drawbacks; the most notable is slow positioning movement. In order to enable a new design, the requirements for barrel wear measurements, in terms of positioning, were characterised. The design of the new positioning system (BERMI 7 Car) focussed on simplicity, robustness, cost, modularity, practicality and serviceability. As such, an all-wheel drive car configuration with no steering ability was developed. The car features the same combination of sensors as the crawler but utilises the available data differently in order to determine position. Testing of the new positioning system required a measurement standard, and a reference measurement technique was established accordingly. The reference measurement was employed to measure barrel length to a high degree of accuracy, quantify the thermal expansion coefficient of the barrel steel and allow comparing the positioning accuracy of the car with that of the crawler. The design of the new positioning system was manufactured and tested for speed and positional accuracy inside the confines of a barrel. Based on the findings, the positioning system enabled barrel measurements to be completed in less than 25% of the current time while slightly improving on accuracy. Shortcomings of the new design are discussed, and possible solutions are provided.