Engineering Creativity Award: Piezoelectric Damping of Flexible Structures

轻型柔性机械手在机器人技术中扮演着重要的角色 在 目前和未来的空间活动。 现有的一个例子是 航天飞机远程操纵系统（RMS）和未来计划要求： 其他类似RMS的武器，以自动化空间操作，如 组装件. 一 要解决的一个关键问题是阻尼振动所造成的 的 RMS必要的长距离和轻型结构 系统 本研究项目的目的是调查 潜在 压电薄膜的被动阻尼特性 当 适用于柔性结构件。 提出使用 具有压电特性的聚合物膜PVDF， 通过电流消耗振动能量。 一 层 施加到振动构件的表面的PVDF膜将 由于机械变形而产生电流。 的 电流可以通过无源阻抗 消耗振动能量从而减小振动。 利用PVDF薄膜进行被动减振是一种新的思路 具有 没有被调查。 最终目标是提供一个简单的 实施对RMS的修改，或类似的灵活 操纵器 在不显著增加系统性能的情况下， 成本、重量和控制或计算成本的复杂性。

Lightweight flexible manipulators are playing an important role in current and future space activities. An existing example is the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (RMS) and future plans call for other RMS-like arms to automate space operations, such as assembly. A key problem to be resolved is to dampen the vibrations caused by the necessary long reach and lightweight construction of the RMS system. The objective of this research project is to investigate the potential passive damping characteristics of piezoelectric film coatings when applied to flexible structural members. It is proposed to use a polymer film, PVDF, which has piezoelectric characteristic, to dessipate vibrational energy by means of an electric current. A layer of PVDF film applied to the surface of a vibrating member will generate an electric current due to mechanical deformations. The electric current can be passed through a passive impedance thus dessipating vibrational energy thereby reducing the vibrations. Using PVDF film to passively dampen vibrations is a new idea which has not been investigated. The ultimate goal is to provide an easily implemented modification to the RMS, or similar flexible manipulator that enhances performance without significantly increasing system cost, weight, and complexity of control or computational costs.