SILA: lightweight electric actuation without mechanical gearing for aircraft utility applications

WaveDrives的超高效电动驱动技术无需机械传动装置，有可能加速飞机的电气化。执行器将能量转换成力来移动或控制物体。它们以各种形状和大小存在于几乎每一个机械装置中。自动化和现代技术的普及增加了这个已经巨大的全球市场，同时也创造了对更可持续、更轻量和更强大的执行器的需求。然而，很明显，由于基本设计的限制，现有成熟的、耗电的驱动技术无法满足这些新的挑战。为了响应市场需求，WaveDrives开发了一种激进的电动驱动技术，其灵感来自于二十年来开发商业机器人和动力假肢的经验，并受到人类肌肉结构和性能的启发。_ * *年代WaveDrives * * arcomere * *我* * nspired * * L * * inear * * * * ctuator_ (* * _SILA) _ * *,更可控,效率比同类技术因为其非接触式传输没有能源浪费由于摩擦。**_SILA_**是可扩展的，无干扰，并提供减轻重量和功耗，提高可靠性和降低整个寿命成本；这些都是航空航天领域极具吸引力的特点。不仅**_SILA_**提供逐步变化的性能，但它使极具成本效益/可持续的资源利用。**_SILA_**不使用昂贵和污染的润滑剂/冷却剂，需要更少的功率来操作；几乎不需要维护和廉价的重新制造，因为没有传动磨损。早期迹象是积极的，然而**_SILA_**是为机器人假肢应用开发的TRL5/6先进原型，必须按比例扩展以提供更大的力和更长的冲程，在实现航空航天效益之前，加固并验证了恶劣航空航天环境中的性能。在这个项目中，WaveDrives将开发一个更大、更强大、更坚固的SILA模块，符合空客提供的实用执行器规范，并将与布里斯托尔大学（UoB）的专家合作，评估和测试新的执行器的性能。目标性能和环境弹性将与大华银行和空客最终用户协商确定。该项目为证明这项英国专利技术在航空航天领域的广泛应用提供了有价值的第一步。成功将导致对更多安全关键应用的评估，如飞行控制。该项目有可能提高英国在民用和新兴城市/区域飞机市场的竞争力，有助于实现空气技术研究所的战略目标。通过加速sila_ **工业化，它还通过采用sila_ **技术的多样化产品支持英国工业的清洁增长，例如使创新动力假肢的供应商和用户受益，更环保的可持续运输和更节能的物流。

WaveDrives' ultra-efficient electric actuation technology without mechanical gearing has potential to accelerate aircraft electrification.Actuators convert energy into force for moving or controlling things. They exist in all shapes and sizes within just about every mechanical device. Automation and pervasiveness of modern technology has increased this already huge global market while also creating demand for more sustainable, lightweight and powerful actuators. However, it is clear that existing mature, power-hungry actuation technologies are not able to evolve to meet these new challenges due to fundamental design limitations.In response to market need, WaveDrives has developed a radical electric actuation technology, motivated by two decades' experience developing commercial robots and powered prosthetics and inspired by the structure and performance of human muscle.WaveDrives' _**S**arcomere **I**nspired **L**inear **A**ctuator_(**_SILA)_**, is more controllable and efficient than comparable technologies because its contactless transmission has no energy wasted due to friction. **_SILA_** is scalable, non-jamming and offers reduced weight and power consumption, increased reliability and lower through-life cost; all highly attractive characteristics in the Aerospace sector.Not only does **_SILA_** offer step-change performance but it makes highly cost-effective/sustainable resource use. Requiring less power to operate, **_SILA_** does not use expensive and contaminating lubricants/coolants; requires almost no maintenance and is cheaply re-manufactured, as there is no transmission wear.Early indications are positive, however **_SILA_** is an advanced prototype developed to TRL5/6 for robotic-prosthetic applications and must be scaled to provide greater force and longer stroke, ruggedised and validated for performance in harsh aerospace environments before aerospace benefits can be realised.In this project,WaveDrives will develop a larger, more powerful and robust _**SILA**_ module in line with an Airbus provided utility actuator specification and will collaborate with experts from the University of Bristol(UoB) to evaluate and test the new actuator's performance. Target performance and environmental resilience will be set in consultation with UoB and Airbus end-user.This project provides a valuable first step towards proving this UK-patented, key enabling technology for wider use in Aerospace. Success would lead to evaluation for more safety-critical applications, such as flight controls. With potential to enhance UK competitiveness in both civil and emerging urban/regional aircraft markets, the project contributes to the Air Technology Institute's strategic goals. By accelerating **_SILA_** industrialisation, it also supports UK industry clean growth through diverse products adopting **_SILA_** technology e.g. to benefit suppliers and users of innovative powered prosthetics, more environmentally sustainable transport and more energy efficient logistics.