Improvement and miniaturization of a T-shaped linear piezoelectric actuator with single foot

ABSTRACT

A miniaturized T-shaped linear piezoelectric actuator is designed. Modal analysis is developed to tune the resonance frequencies of the two vibration modes to be close; and the vibration trajectories of particles on the driving surface are investigated by transient analysis. The no-load speed of the prototype is 1127 mm/s, the maximum output thrust force is 41 N, and the maximum output power is 9.1 W. The power density of the prototype is 28.09 W/kg, which is nearly six times that of the previous design. This work provides new ideas for the optimal design of piezoelectric actuator using longitudinal vibrations.

Keywords:

• Piezoelectric actuator
• T-shaped
• longitudinal vibration
• power density

Funding

This project is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51475112), the Foundation for the Author of National Excellent Doctoral Dissertation of China (No. 201428), and the open project of State Key Laboratory of Digital Manufacturing Equipment and Technology (Huazhong University of Science & Technology) (No. DMETKF2015008).