Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 20, 2026
10:53
Shape Memory Polymers for Active Cell Culture
Published on: July 4, 2011
13.9K
Active Adjustment of Surface Accuracy for a Large Cable-Net Structure by Shape Memory Alloy.
Xiangjun Jiang1, Fengqun Pan2, Yesen Fan3
1Key Laboratory of Electronic Equipment Structural Design, Xidian University, Xi'an 710071, China. xjjiang@xidian.edu.cn.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 21, 2019
Summary
This study introduces a novel shape memory cable-net (SMC) structure to enhance the in-orbit surface accuracy of space antennas. The SMC structure utilizes shape memory alloys for active adjustment, improving antenna performance in harsh space environments.
Area of Science:
- Space Engineering
- Materials Science
- Mechanical Engineering
Background:
- Space antennas require high surface accuracy, which is challenged by the harsh space environment.
- In-orbit adjustment capability is crucial for maintaining antenna surface accuracy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and analyze a shape memory cable-net (SMC) structure for improved in-orbit surface accuracy of cable-net antennas.
- To develop a method for active shape adjustment of the SMC antenna structure.
Main Methods:
- Constructed an incremental stiffness equation for shape memory alloy (SMA) elements.
- Developed a finite element model for the SMC antenna structure incorporating SMA properties.
- Presented a shape active adjustment procedure based on optimization methods.
Main Results:
- Successfully modeled the behavior of SMA elements under varying temperature and force.
- Established a finite element model for the SMC antenna structure.
- Demonstrated the feasibility of active surface accuracy adjustment through a numerical example.
Conclusions:
- The proposed shape memory cable-net (SMC) structure offers a viable solution for enhancing in-orbit surface accuracy of space antennas.
- The developed methodology enables active shape adjustment, crucial for maintaining antenna performance in space.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Cable: Problem Solving
648
When dealing with a cable that is fixed to two supports and subjected to uniform loading, it is crucial to determine the maximum tension in the cable. This process can be broken down into several key steps, as outlined below:
648
02:07Improving Translational Accuracy
14.1K
Base complementarity between the three base pairs of mRNA codon and the tRNA anticodon is not a failsafe mechanism. Inaccuracies can range from a single mismatch to no correct base pairing at all. The free energy difference between the correct and nearly correct base pairs can be as small as 3 kcal/ mol. With complementarity being the only proofreading step, the estimated error frequency would be one wrong amino acid in every 100 amino acids incorporated. However, error frequencies observed in...
14.1K
03:37Uncertainty in Measurement: Accuracy and Precision
100.1K
Scientists typically make repeated measurements of a quantity to ensure the quality of their findings and to evaluate both the precision and the accuracy of their results. Measurements are said to be precise if they yield very similar results when repeated in the same manner. A measurement is considered accurate if it yields a result that is very close to the true or the accepted value. Precise values agree with each other; accurate values agree with a true value.
100.1K
01:12Adjusting a Traverse
372
In the site survey of a four-sided traverse, internal angles are essential to ensure geometric accuracy. The survey revealed that the sum of the measured internal angles was 359 degrees and 48 minutes, which is 12 minutes less than the expected 360 degrees. This discrepancy signals an error likely arising from measurement inaccuracies during the fieldwork.To rectify this error, the adjustment process involved distributing the 12-minute shortfall equally across the four internal angles. By...
372
01:25The Anchoring-and-Adjustment Heuristic
7.7K
In order to make good decisions, we use our knowledge and our reasoning. Often, this knowledge and reasoning is sound and solid. However, sometimes, we are swayed by biases or by others manipulating a situation. For example, let’s say you and three friends wanted to rent a house and had a combined target budget of $1,600. The realtor shows you only very run-down houses for $1,600 and then shows you a very nice house for $2,000. Might you ask each person to pay more in rent to get the...
7.7K
01:13Cable Subjected to Its Own Weight
780
Overhead power transmission lines rely on cables to carry electricity across large distances. To ensure the stability and functionality of these lines, it is crucial to understand the shape and tension experienced by the cables under the influence of their weight.
A generalized loading function is employed to analyze a cable subjected to its own weight. This function considers the force acting along the cable's arc length rather than its projected length, providing a more accurate...
A generalized loading function is employed to analyze a cable subjected to its own weight. This function considers the force acting along the cable's arc length rather than its projected length, providing a more accurate...
780