A Piezoelectric Inchworm Actuator with Bidirectional Thrust Force

An inchworm actuator is designed as symmetrical structural layout, which can generate bidirectional thrust force. The clamped flexible mechanisms are set in stator and that of driven are in mover. Firstly, the parameters of flexible hinges are analyzed and optimized. Then, a kind of 6-division time-sequence signal applied to clamped/driven mechanism is discussed. As a result, trapezoid waveform is adopted which rise-rate is limited within 1 V/ms. Prototype actuator as well as specified three channels controller is finally manufactured and some tests are performed on them. The maximum step-length is 10.5 μm under 100 V. The displacement resolution is about 0.048 μm under 9 V. The maximum velocity and dynamic force are 412 μm/s and 2.85 Kgf separately. Copyright © 2014 IFSA Publishing, S. L.