In structure topology optimization, the applied boundary and support conditions are often fixed in a-priori. These conditions can affect the behavior and the properties of single-piece elastic structures known as compliant mechanisms. In this paper, the same aspect is explored for path generating compliant mechanisms by considering them as design variables and their values are evolved using cus...

An automated design synthesis method is developed to design an airfoil with a reconfigurable shape, which can change from one type of geometry to another. A design synthesis method using unit truss approach and particle swarm optimization is presented. In the unit truss approach, unit truss is used as a new unit cell for mechanics analysis of cellular structures, including lightweight structure...

Title of Dissertation: DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF ELECTROTHERMAL MICROMOTORS AND COMPLIANT MECHANISMS FOR SPATIAL PARALLEL MICROMANIPULATORS Wei-Jen Cheng, Doctor of Philosophy, 2005 Directed By: Associate Professor Don DeVoe Department of Mechanical Engineering In this dissertation a new class of spatial micromechanisms employing compliant joints and electrothermal motors has been developed. Th...

Various compliant mechanism synthesis methods have been developed over the past decade; however, very little attention has been directed towards adaptive shape change problems. In this paper, we present a systematic method for synthesizing compliant mechanisms to morph a given curve or profile into a target curve utilizing minimum number of actuators (typically one). Two objective functions are...