Modeling and design of a two-axis elliptical notch flexure hinge

Area of Science:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Metrology
• Precision Engineering

Background:

• The joule balance system requires precise control of suspended components.
• Existing flexure hinges may present limitations in decoupling motion and maintaining alignment.
• The two-axis elliptical notch flexure hinge (TENFH) is a critical component for achieving desired motion control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate analytical models for the compliance and maximum stress of TENFHs.
• To design a novel TENFH structure that decouples attitude and minimizes centroid offset in joule balance systems.
• To verify the performance of the designed TENFH through simulation and experimentation.

Main Methods:

• Established a 6 degrees of freedom (6-DOF) compliance model using coordinate transformation.
• Derived the maximum stress model for the TENFH.
• Utilized finite element analysis (FEA) for model verification.
• Conducted deformation experiments on the designed TENFH.

Main Results:

• Validated compliance and maximum stress models through FEA.
• Designed a new TENFH structure meeting system requirements.
• Achieved a maximum rotation range of 10° and an axial load capacity exceeding 5 kg.
• Experimental verification confirmed the accuracy of the compliance model.

Conclusions:

• The developed analytical models provide accurate predictions for TENFH behavior.
• The novel TENFH design effectively decouples motion and reduces offset, suitable for joule balance applications.
• The validated models and design contribute to advancements in precision metrology systems.