Comparison of amplified piezoelectric actuators based on topological optimization

Philip W. Loveday

doi:10.1117/12.474679

15 July 2002 Comparison of amplified piezoelectric actuators based on topological optimization

Philip W. Loveday

Proceedings Volume 4701, Smart Structures and Materials 2002: Smart Structures and Integrated Systems; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.474679
Event: SPIE's 9th Annual International Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, 2002, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Various solid-state mechanisms for the amplification of the small stroke, produced by piezoelectric materials, have been presented in the literature. A designer tasked with designing a device such as a micro-positioner must choose between these mechanisms. In this paper, the use of topological optimization to produce characteristic functions for amplification mechanisms, forming a basis for comparison of different designs, is investigated. The optimization problem was formulated as a variable thickness sheet problem where the stiffness was maximized subject to a constraint on the free stoke. Apart from specifying the design domain, no volume constraints were imposed. The design domain, comprising a piezoelectric and a metallic region, was discretized with eight-noded, plane-strain finite elements. This formulation was found to produce designs with negligible intermediate thickness. These designs are non-unique and repeatedly solving the problem from different starting material distributions results in slightly different 'optimal' stiffness values. The resulting maximum stiffness can be plotted as a function of free stroke producing a curve that is characteristic of the amplification mechanism. Irregularities in this curve would indicate that a local maximum with poor performance has been found. The method is demonstrated by computing the characteristic curve for two amplifier mechanisms.

Citation Download Citation

Philip W. Loveday "Comparison of amplified piezoelectric actuators based on topological optimization", Proc. SPIE 4701, Smart Structures and Materials 2002: Smart Structures and Integrated Systems, (15 July 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.474679

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