Tenders Are Invited For Actuator Design And Commanding Technologies Optimisation For Micro-Vibration Minimisation

Tenders are invited for Actuator Design and Commanding Technologies Optimisation for Micro-Vibration Minimisation - Expro Plus. The objective of this activity is to design new motors and electrical commanding techniques to decrease the level of micro-vibrations generated by space mechanisms.Description: Microvibration and exported torque disturbances of motors and actuators are becoming a major concern for high accuracy pointing systems (e.g. scanning mechanisms). In recent years, several activities have been performed to increase the understanding of microvibrations sources and intrinsic physical characteristics, targeting both experimental and numerical aspects. This knowledge shall now be used to develop strategies and associated methodologies to reduce the mechanisms generated microvibrations.This activity aims at designing, manufacturing and testing motor commanding techniques that allow for exported disturbance minimisation, in particular with focus on stepper motors-based actuators and exploring various drivers capabilities (microstepping, detent torque compensation, current or voltage controlled). Sensitivity analyses and tests shall be performed, inorder to demonstrate the effects of different commanding on microvibration signature of the actuators, with main objective to identify most promising strategies for reducing the exported disturbances in various bandwidths.The activity encompasses the following tasks: Review of possible strategies to mitigate generated microvibrations, both at commanding and motor level, and their trade-off. Design of the selected most promising techniques (actuator technology and motor driver). Modelling of the actuator performances in association with different drivers design and characteristics, including sensitivity analysis of most influent commanding parameters effect on exported disturbances. Manufacturing and assembly of an engineering model (EM) of the actuator and the driver. Extensive test campaign, covering for different driver technologies and commanding strategies (voltage vs/ current controlled, microstepping, current compensated) with microvibration characterisation of the exported disturbances. Model correlation of the EM characterization outcome and results evaluation. Open Date: 21/05/2025 07:32 CET Closing Date: 27/06/2025 13:00 CET Price Range: 200-500 KEURO Tender Link : https://esastar-publication-ext.sso.esa.int/ESATenderActions/filter/open