Design and experimental tests on hydraulic actuator made of composite material

The goal of this research is to design, implement and then perform experimental analyses on a hydraulic actuator made of innovative materials such as composite material (carbon fibers and epoxy resin) and the aluminium alloy under high pressure. The cylinder tube is made of an aluminium alloy tubular element wrapped in a composite material; the piston rod is made of composite material and the ends, the attachments and the flanges are made of aluminium alloy. The sizing of the cylinder tube, being a multilayer component under internal pressure, was performed by developing a new theory. Then, a series of numerical finite element analyses were carried out. After the construction of the component, the next phase is experimental tests also made by applying numerous strain gauges to the actuator. The experimental results confirmed the results obtained through analytical and numerical methods. The hydraulic actuator is made up of a composite material and aluminium alloy. The hydraulic actuator made of composite material and aluminium alloy, has a weight of about 12% of the one in a classic structural steel and seems to be a very good result for a continuous lightening of the structural components of the machine.