The Staircase Drive-A Novel Actuator Design Optimised for Daisy-Chaining and Minimum Stress Load Coupling

Area of Science:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Actuator Technology

Background:

• Standard cantilever actuators have limitations in daisy-chaining and induce stress at the load joint, especially during out-of-plane displacement.
• The cantilever actuator is the current state-of-the-art but presents inherent drawbacks for complex configurations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a novel actuator design that overcomes the limitations of cantilever actuators.
• To enable daisy-chaining of actuators for amplified displacement and minimize stress in the load connection.
• To provide a structural and functional comparison between the novel actuator and the standard cantilever design.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of structural and functional performance between the novel actuator and cantilever actuator.
• Performance simulations to evaluate displacement profiles and joint stress.
• Fabrication and experimental validation of the novel actuator prototype using a laser scanning vibrometer.
• Thick-film printing process for depositing electrodes and piezoelectric layers on an alumina substrate.

Main Results:

• The proposed actuator design facilitates daisy-chaining, enabling the creation of higher-order actuators with increased displacement.
• Simulations and prototype measurements confirm reduced stress in the joint connecting to the load compared to cantilever actuators.
• The novel actuator achieves a targeted displacement profile suitable for daisy-chaining, despite a lower maximum displacement than the cantilever.
• The reduced maximum displacement can be compensated for by daisy-chaining multiple units.

Conclusions:

• The novel actuator design offers a viable solution for applications requiring daisy-chaining and reduced joint stress.
• The developed actuator is suitable for integration into more complex systems needing amplified displacement.
• Experimental validation confirms the design's potential for practical implementation in micro-actuation systems.