Investigation of the Dynamics of a 2-DoF Actuation Unit Cell for a Cooperative Electrostatic Actuation System
The mechanism of the inchworm motor, which overcomes the intrinsic displacement and force limitations of MEMS electrostatic actuators, has undergone constant development in the past few decades. In this work, the electrostatic actuation unit cell (AUC) that is designed to cooperate with many other c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Actuators |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/10/10/276 |
| _version_ | 1797515635648888832 |
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| author | Almothana Albukhari Ulrich Mescheder |
| author_facet | Almothana Albukhari Ulrich Mescheder |
| author_sort | Almothana Albukhari |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The mechanism of the inchworm motor, which overcomes the intrinsic displacement and force limitations of MEMS electrostatic actuators, has undergone constant development in the past few decades. In this work, the electrostatic actuation unit cell (AUC) that is designed to cooperate with many other counterparts in a novel concept of a modular-like cooperative actuator system is examined. First, the cooperative system is briefly discussed. A simplified analytical model of the AUC, which is a 2-Degree-of-Freedom (2-DoF) gap-closing actuator (GCA), is presented, taking into account the major source of dissipation in the system, the squeeze-film damping (SQFD). Then, the results of a series of coupled-field numerical simulation studies by the Finite Element Method (FEM) on parameterized models of the AUC are shown, whereby sensible comparisons with available analytical models from the literature are made. The numerical simulations that focused on the dynamic behavior of the AUC highlighted the substantial influence of the SQFD on the pull-in and pull-out times, and revealed how these performance characteristics are considerably determined by the structure’s height. It was found that the pull-out time is the critical parameter for the dynamic behavior of the AUC, and that a larger damping profile significantly shortens the actuator cycle time as a consequence. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:48:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c1b6428daf8a4a98ad08e334fc196529 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0825 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:48:33Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Actuators |
| spelling | doaj.art-c1b6428daf8a4a98ad08e334fc1965292023-11-22T17:03:22ZengMDPI AGActuators2076-08252021-10-01101027610.3390/act10100276Investigation of the Dynamics of a 2-DoF Actuation Unit Cell for a Cooperative Electrostatic Actuation SystemAlmothana Albukhari0Ulrich Mescheder1Mechanical and Medical Engineering Faculty, Institute for Microsystems Technology (iMST), Furtwangen University, 78120 Furtwangen, GermanyMechanical and Medical Engineering Faculty, Institute for Microsystems Technology (iMST), Furtwangen University, 78120 Furtwangen, GermanyThe mechanism of the inchworm motor, which overcomes the intrinsic displacement and force limitations of MEMS electrostatic actuators, has undergone constant development in the past few decades. In this work, the electrostatic actuation unit cell (AUC) that is designed to cooperate with many other counterparts in a novel concept of a modular-like cooperative actuator system is examined. First, the cooperative system is briefly discussed. A simplified analytical model of the AUC, which is a 2-Degree-of-Freedom (2-DoF) gap-closing actuator (GCA), is presented, taking into account the major source of dissipation in the system, the squeeze-film damping (SQFD). Then, the results of a series of coupled-field numerical simulation studies by the Finite Element Method (FEM) on parameterized models of the AUC are shown, whereby sensible comparisons with available analytical models from the literature are made. The numerical simulations that focused on the dynamic behavior of the AUC highlighted the substantial influence of the SQFD on the pull-in and pull-out times, and revealed how these performance characteristics are considerably determined by the structure’s height. It was found that the pull-out time is the critical parameter for the dynamic behavior of the AUC, and that a larger damping profile significantly shortens the actuator cycle time as a consequence.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/10/10/276cooperative actuatorsinchworm motorelectrostatic actuatorMEMSFEMcoupled-field modeling |
| spellingShingle | Almothana Albukhari Ulrich Mescheder Investigation of the Dynamics of a 2-DoF Actuation Unit Cell for a Cooperative Electrostatic Actuation System Actuators cooperative actuators inchworm motor electrostatic actuator MEMS FEM coupled-field modeling |
| title | Investigation of the Dynamics of a 2-DoF Actuation Unit Cell for a Cooperative Electrostatic Actuation System |
| title_full | Investigation of the Dynamics of a 2-DoF Actuation Unit Cell for a Cooperative Electrostatic Actuation System |
| title_fullStr | Investigation of the Dynamics of a 2-DoF Actuation Unit Cell for a Cooperative Electrostatic Actuation System |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigation of the Dynamics of a 2-DoF Actuation Unit Cell for a Cooperative Electrostatic Actuation System |
| title_short | Investigation of the Dynamics of a 2-DoF Actuation Unit Cell for a Cooperative Electrostatic Actuation System |
| title_sort | investigation of the dynamics of a 2 dof actuation unit cell for a cooperative electrostatic actuation system |
| topic | cooperative actuators inchworm motor electrostatic actuator MEMS FEM coupled-field modeling |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/10/10/276 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT almothanaalbukhari investigationofthedynamicsofa2dofactuationunitcellforacooperativeelectrostaticactuationsystem AT ulrichmescheder investigationofthedynamicsofa2dofactuationunitcellforacooperativeelectrostaticactuationsystem |