Development of MSMA-Driven Actuators based on Standardization of Single Crystal Growth, Treatment and Quality Assessment

在过去的十年中，Ni-Mn-Ga单晶的磁形状记忆效应在世界范围内得到了广泛的研究。今天，这一现象的许多方面都有记录。尽管如此，在已发表的结果中几乎没有一致性，因为晶体生长和处理的文件通常很差，因此晶体不同。对于商业应用，MSM致动行为的可靠性和可重复性是重要的。基于晶体生长、热处理、培训程序和质量评估的标准化，HMI和IWF将开发处理技术领域的致动器组件。由于高质量的Ni-Mn-Ga晶体的可用性，这类磁性形状记忆合金（MSMA）将在该项目的第一部分中发挥关键作用。尽管如此，HMI最近开发的新晶体生长技术SLARE将被采用，并平行地对其他有前途的合金如Co-Ni-Ga和Cu-Mn-Ga进行微调。结合结构、磁性和机械特性对寿命和疲劳行为的研究将产生质量评估工具。考虑到这些基础研究，将开发和表征基于这些基础研究的高效致动器、处理装置和控制概念。最后，将在真实的运行中测试这些设备的长期运行行为。

During the last decade the magnetic shape memory (MSM) effect of Ni-Mn-Ga single crystals was intensely studied by numerous groups all over the world. Today many aspects of this phenomenon have been documented. Still, there is little consistency in the published results, since the documentation of crystal growth and treatments is generally poor and therefore the crystals differ. For commercial applications reliability and repeatability of the MSM actuating behavior are significant. Based on the standardization of crystal growth, thermal treatment, training procedures and quality assessment the HMI and the IWF will develop actuator components in the field of handling technologies. Because of the availability of high quality Ni-Mn-Ga crystals, this class of magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMA) will play the key role within the first part of this project. Nevertheless, the new crystal growth technique SLARE , recently developed at HMI, will be adopted and finetuned for other promising alloys like Co-Ni-Ga and Cu-Mn-Ga in parallel. The study of life-time and fatigue behavior in conjunction with structural, magnetical and mechanical characterizations will result in quality assessment tools. In consideration of these fundamental studies efficient actuators, handling devices and control concepts based thereon will be developed and characterized. Finally the long-run behavior of theses devices will be tested in real operation.