Manufacturing and Reliability of Three-Dimensional Micro-Mechanical Actuators

该赠款为微致动器的开发提供资金，例如，微电机、动微气浮轴承、微无级变速器。 由于难以控制的磁场具有有限的微尺度使用，因此将开发两种静电马达驱动概念：（1）可变电容马达-可变电容马达使可以改变几何形状的气隙场中的电场能量最小化。 转子电极相对于定子电极寻找存储在转子和定子之间的气隙的电场中的最小势能的位置。 (2)感应电荷电机-感应电荷电机是基于电机中材料电荷的感应极化的概念，产生在初级场中对齐的次级电场。 这种驱动的变体类似于感应电动机的电场。 为了避免静摩擦，必须避免相对运动中表面之间的接触，如轴承中的接触。 除其他概念外，将开发微型气体轴承。 微型槽内置到轴部分的电机将泵送空气或气体和建立电影，使轴接触轴承和住房。 为了避免启停时的静摩擦，轴承箱应适当涂上一层薄膜润滑剂。 对于上述和其他致动器，先进的基于科学的建模方法将被开发用于托换设计。如果成功的话，这项研究的结果将导致在相对较新的竞技场中制造各种致动器所需的三维机械部件的微尺度的新方法。 在开发方法时，重点将放在执行器中组件使用的可靠性上。设想是在生物医学，航空航天，以及其他消费产品的微尺寸是至关重要的执行器的应用。 当然，使用微尺寸致动器具有环境友好的额外优点。

This grant provides funding for the development of micro-actuators, e.g., micro-motor, dynamic micro-gas bearing micro-continuously-variable speed-reducers. Inasmuch as magnetic fields, difficult to contain, have limited micro-scale use, two electrostatic motor drive concepts will be developed: (1) Variable Capacitance Motor - Variable capacitance motor minimizes energy of electric field in an air gap field that can change geometry. Rotor electrodes seek positions relative to stator electrodes of least potential energy stored in the electric field of an air gap between the rotor and stator. (2) Induced Charge Motor - Induced charge motor is based on a concept of induced polarization of charges of material in the motor creating a secondary electric field which aligns in a primary field. This variant of drive is the electric field analogy to an induction motor. To avoid stiction, contact between surfaces in relative motion must be avoided as in bearings. Among other concepts, micro-gas-bearings will be developed. Micro-grooves built into the shaft part of the motor will pump air or gas and build-up films that keep the shaft from touching the bearing and housing. In order to avoid stiction for start-stop, the bearing housing will be suitable coated with a thin film lubricant. For the above, and other actuators, advanced science-based modeling methods will be developed for underpinning design.If successful, the results of this research will lead to new methods in the relatively new arena of manufacturing in the micro-scale of three-dimensional mechanical components needed for various actuators. In developing the methods, emphasis will be given to reliability in the use of components in actuators. Envisioned are applications of actuators in bio-medical, aerospace, as well as other consumer products for which micro-size is paramount. Of course the use of micro-size actuators has the additional advantage of being environmentally friendly.