Microactuation Using Piezoceramics

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This project involves analytical and experimental investigations of piezoelectric ceramics of chosen three-dimensional geometries leading to synthesis of three-dimensional piezoceramic microactuators. Preliminary analytical models based on finite element methods will be developed to predict the behavior of three-dimensional piezoceramic materials of arbitrary geometries under a variety of static loading conditions. The goals of the research are: . To enhance the scope of the finite element based analytical modeling to reliably predict the behavior of three-dimensional piezoceramic geometries. . To conduct experimental studies on three-dimensional piezoceramic geometries to investigate the level of performance of the analytical models, and . To initiate conceptual designs of three-dimensional piezoceramic microactuators. The long term goal is to design a practical three-dimensional piezoceramic micropositioning device capable of executing highly precise translations and rotations, while capable of exerting large surface forces simultaneously. Such a device would be expected to significantly advance the state of the art in industrial automation involving micro-assembly as well as in surgical applications in medicine. ***