Prototyping a compact system for active vibration isolation using piezoelectric sensors and actuators

Area of Science:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Control Systems Engineering

Background:

• Piezoelectric transducers offer compact and lightweight solutions for vibration sensing and control.
• Existing vibration isolation systems often face limitations in high-frequency response and DC drift.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a compact vibration isolation system utilizing piezoelectric sensors and actuators.
• To enhance the high-frequency response and mitigate DC drift in piezoelectric actuators for improved vibration isolation.

Main Methods:

• Electrical damping was employed to suppress mechanical resonances in piezoelectric actuators.
• An auxiliary control loop incorporating a strain gauge was implemented to eliminate DC drift.
• Frequency domain analysis was used for the design, optimization, and experimental verification of the control loops.

Main Results:

• Mechanical resonances of piezoelectric actuators were suppressed by an order of magnitude.
• Effective vibration isolation was achieved in the frequency range of 1 Hz to 200 Hz.
• A peak attenuation of 60 dB was observed near a vibration frequency of 20 Hz.

Conclusions:

• The proposed system demonstrates a viable approach for compact and effective vibration isolation.
• Electrical damping and auxiliary control loops significantly enhance piezoelectric actuator performance for vibration control.
• Further research is needed to extend vibration isolation capabilities to lower frequencies.