TY - GEN
T1 - Optimization of piezoelectric uniflex microactuators
AU - Kommepalli, Hareesh K.R.
AU - Rahn, Christopher D.
AU - Tadigadapa, Srinivas A.
PY - 2010/6/25
Y1 - 2010/6/25
N2 - Microactuators provide controlled motion and force for applications ranging from RF switches to rate gyros. Large amplitude response in piezoelectric actuators requires amplification of their small strain. This paper studies the performance of a uniflex actuator in terms of its displacement and blocking force compared to uniflex and flextensional actuators. A uniflex mi-croactuator combines the strain amplification mechanisms of a unimorph and flexural motion to produce large displacement and blocking force. Analytical models for displacement and blocking force for all the three actuators are used in optimization, to study their relative performance. The uniflex actuator outperforms both unimorph and flextensional actuators in displacement, but, the unimorph actuator generates more blocking force. The uniflex actuator can therefore be used in applications that demand higher displacement and lower blocking force compared to a unimorph actuator.
AB - Microactuators provide controlled motion and force for applications ranging from RF switches to rate gyros. Large amplitude response in piezoelectric actuators requires amplification of their small strain. This paper studies the performance of a uniflex actuator in terms of its displacement and blocking force compared to uniflex and flextensional actuators. A uniflex mi-croactuator combines the strain amplification mechanisms of a unimorph and flexural motion to produce large displacement and blocking force. Analytical models for displacement and blocking force for all the three actuators are used in optimization, to study their relative performance. The uniflex actuator outperforms both unimorph and flextensional actuators in displacement, but, the unimorph actuator generates more blocking force. The uniflex actuator can therefore be used in applications that demand higher displacement and lower blocking force compared to a unimorph actuator.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77953799135&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1115/DETC2009-87594
DO - 10.1115/DETC2009-87594
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:77953799135
SN - 9780791849033
T3 - Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference 2009, DETC2009
SP - 513
EP - 520
BT - Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference 2009, DETC2009
T2 - 2009 ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, DETC2009
Y2 - 30 August 2009 through 2 September 2009
ER -