So... I need to clarify: I’m not an engineer or a university student.
I was trying to read a myriad of different papers in an attempt of finding a way of calculating how much force, pressure and dimensions I should make McKibben Artificial muscles.
But as you can guess, my level of expertise didn’t help and I couldn’t really grasp the equations and evaluations needed to make conceptualise the artificial muscles
I intend to make a 5 ton hydraulic McKibben muscle, but I don’t know the dimensions I should make it. I do not have the materials, so I was trying to find a simplified way of calculating the general numbers (dimensions, pressure, force) required for it.
I tried using the basic “triangle equation” for Force, Pressure or Area. "F = P x A" or "A = F ÷ P", but this formula is meant to be used for solid hydraulic cylinders, not artificial muscles.
But I tried to calculate the surface area of a solid cylinder with the same dimensions of the muscle. With 30 cm of length, 5 cm of radius, which would have a surface area of 170.3 in² (1099cm²).
F = P x A
And the result was 10200 pounds (4626,6422 kg).
However, this equation is meant to be for the surface of a hydraulic piston, but the surface input was the entire membrane. So I’m assuming that is the force applied to the membrane, how much of that force would be translated into linear action?
To model the behavior, you have no choice other than to gain the math background, study hard and learn to understand and program the equations. A couple of years of study should do it, if you apply yourself.
Of course, you could start with a more reasonable goal, like building a 1 kgf muscle, and work your way up to 5000 kgf by trial and error. Expect to blow up some number experimental models in the process.
Do You believe in lotteries as a way of success?
It takes lots of experience to "guess" anything being thinkable.
As @ jremington says, bite the lemon and start studying, learning, trial and error.
You can check up existing similar things, note their capacity, measure how beams and other crucial things bends, and try and upscale the parts. It's possible to measure how that 2 ton lift bends etc. and scale things up.
Beams have data showing their strength. I'm an electronic guy but maybe helpers knowing mechanics can tell what beam parameters to check. Don't forget joints, bolts etc.
Check up little aeroplane, the MFI-9b trainer. The bolts holding the wing support to the wing, and to the body is only an M4, 4 millimeter thick!
Know that if 5 tons is falling down on You You will be in distress....
You can check up existing similar things, note their capacity
I did it, a lot, normally I end up needing kilometers of the same materials needed to make those 1 kg lifting McKibben muscle, which is kinda expensive.
The complex part is that if I increase the diameter and/or length enough, I would end up with a enormous difference in material-area needed.
The bolts holding the wing support to the wing, and to the body is only an M4, 4 millimeter thick!
Know that if 5 tons is falling down on You You will be in distress....
Yes, that is quite true, I will take all the safety measures
There was a time when published data tables were carried in the pockets of every engineer (I still have my ragged little red book.) Knowledge consisted in understanding how to apply the table graphs or table ratios to a specific problem. One did not have to sit down and work differential equations to get an answer.
