A rotary microactuator supported on encapsulated microball bearings

The development of a rotary microactuator supported on encapsulated microball bearings and driven by electro-pneumatic actuation is reported. The encapsulated bearing provides full support to an encased rotor, while an electro-pneumatic thrust balance is used to minimize rotor normal load. By minimizing normal load, bearing friction is reduced leading to increased speed and performance. Experimental results show that the microactuator is capable of repeatable operation and continuous 360◦ motion at speeds of 5–2000 rpm. This is the first demonstration of a ball bearing supported electrostatic microactuator with a fully encased rotor, capable of direct mechanical attachment or reliable interaction with external media. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)