Fundamental Studies on Flexure Hinges with use in High-Precision Parallel Kinematic Micromanipulators

本计画的目的是全面研究线切割加工制程对高精度并联微操作机器人中柔性铰链特性的影响。本研究包括材料特性、制造工艺、设计和几何形状对柔性铰链可达到的定位精度和寿命质量的具体影响。在初步研究的基础上，通过更详细的分析以及考虑额外的材料和更大的几何变化，将改善制造工艺对柔性铰链特性的影响的一般知识。通过对一般知识的概括，可以完成对柔性铰链基于制造的部件变化的理解。以前的研究通常假设理想的柔性铰链（均匀的材料特性，理论上精确的几何形状，没有热效应等）。然而，在制造过程中，实际尺寸和规定尺寸之间会出现不可避免的差异。这会影响柔性铰链的性能。此外，所选择的制造技术将影响表面层，从而影响柔性铰链的行为，特别是在最小横截面积处。热影响区对工件行为的影响随着结构宽度的减小而增大。在非常薄的结构中，没有未受影响的材料留下，它们完全由热影响材料组成。因此可以得出结论：材料和制造相关的周边边缘区域的特性影响的组成部分的行为，如精密工程中的柔性铰链的几何形状。在以往的柔性铰链研究中，对这种影响没有进行充分的分析。本研究计画的创新点在于对柔性铰链的各个方面进行整体性的研究。为了进行详细的研究，一方面将通过实验确定制造技术和材料的影响，另一方面将对不同几何形状、材料和制造相关边界条件的柔性铰链的行为进行理论建模。制造技术对柔性铰链性能的基本影响以前研究使用参考材料和预定义的参考几何形状。因此，可以导出基于制造条件的铰链行为的预测模型。柔性铰链行为的模型将被扩展以包括进一步的因素，如不同的材料和铰链设计。此扩展的目的是推广预测模型，从而提高其对最终用户的可用性。

The objective of the project is to comprehensively study the effects of the manufacturing process wire-cut EDM on the characteristics of flexure hinges, which are used in high precision parallel micromanipulators. This study comprises of the specific influences of the material properties, the manufacturing process, the design and the geometry on the attainable quality of positioning accuracy and life-time of the flexure hinge. Based on preliminary studies the general knowledge of the effects of the manufacturing process on the characteristics of flexure hinges will be improved by more detailed analyses as well as the consideration of additional materials and greater geometrical variety. By this generalization of the general knowledge the understanding of the manufacturing based component variation of flexure hinges can be completed. Previous investigations generally assumed ideal flexure hinges (homogenous material properties, theoretically exact geometry, no thermal effects, etc.) However during manufacturing inevitable differences occur between the actual dimensions and the specified dimensions. This affects the behavior of flexure hinges. Additionally the chosen manufacturing technology will affect the surface layer and thus influence the flexure hinge behavior especially at the smallest cross-sectional area. The impact of heat-affected-zones on the workpiece behavior increases with decreasing width of the structure. At very thin structures there is no unaffected material left and they consist entirely of heat-affected material. Thus it can be concluded: Material and manufacturing dependent peripheral rim zone characteristics affect the component behavior of filigree geometries, as found in flexure hinges in precision engineering. This effect was not at all or insufficiently analyzed in the past research of flexure hinges. The originality of this research project is the holistic approach on all aspects of flexure hinges. For a detailed research on the one hand the effect of manufacturing technology and material will be experimentally determined and on the other hand the behavior of flexure hinges for different geometries, materials and manufacturing dependent boundary conditions will be modelled theoretically. The basic effects of manufacturing technology on the flexure hinge behavior were previously studied using a reference material and predefined reference geometry. Consequently, a predictive model for the hinge behavior based on manufacturing conditions can be derived. The model of the flexure hinge behavior will be expanded to include further factors like different materials and hinge designs. The aim of this extension is to generalize the prediction model and thus to improve its usability for the end user.