THUNDER Actuator

Gevale R. Ashford

Finite Element Modeling of Thin-layer composite unimorph ferroelectric

driver and sensor (THUNDER) actuators.
Acknowledgments:

Kenneth Ulibarri
Adalia Cabanyog
Alec Sim
Chris Kennedy
Tim Usher
Funding Provided by
California State University, San Bernardino
&
National Aeronautic Space Administration
Grant # 0051-0078
 How are they manufactured?
• THUNDER actuators are manufactured by binding a thin sheet
of piezoelectric ceramic under hydrostatic pressure between a
metal substrate and an aluminum electrode at a 320° C.

• During the cooling process a difference in the coefficients of

thermal expansion between the layers cause the actuator to
deform to a shallow dome shape.

• The fabrication of THUNDER actuators is completed by the

perpendicular poling of the ceramic to the metal interface.
 Where did the idea originate?

• RAINBOW (Reduced and Internally Biased Oxide Wafer)

• Displacement for RAINBOW actuators showed to be 10-25%

lower than THUNDER actuators.

• THUNDER actuators are very rugged in comparison.

• In addition standard commercial manufacturing techniques

have been developed for THUNDER actuators.

• To date there has been no such manufacturing techniques

developed for RAINBOW actuators.
 Potential Applications
• Engineers in the Aerospace industry will greatly benefit from
the added technology that THUNDER actuators have to offer.

– These actuators could potentially change the surface of

aircraft wings while in flight. Improving on maneuvers
such as takeoffs and landings.

• For NASA scientist further development of THUNDER

actuators may lead to improvements on the quality and
reliability of the data that their space exploration robots
collect.

– A computer could apply a voltage to the actuators located

on the wheels of a moon rover and insure that its readings
were not interrupted by any vibrations caused by debris
on the planets surface.
 Finite Element Modeling Theory

• FEM consists of a computer model of a material or design that

is loaded and analyzed for specific results.

• Mathematically, the structure to be analyzed is subdivided into

a mesh of finite sized elements of simple shape.

• Within each element the variation of displacement is

determined by simple polynomial shape functions and nodal
displacement.

• From this, the equations of equilibrium are assembled in a

matrix form that can be easily programmed and solved by a
computer.
 Research Goals

• To develop better mathematical and computer models for

HDA’s.

• To fabricate new and better actuators-via design templates as

opposed to the crude trial and error method.

• To improve the performance of THUNDER actuators by

improving their manufacturing process.

• We will also assist NASA research team in producing more

effective actuators with our data.
 Experimental Procedures

• Utilizing the ANSYS® modeling software, several computer

models have been constructed.

• These models have been constructed using input variables

directly from the command line as well as from the toolbars
via the GUI interface.

• The dimensions as well as the material properties of each

element being used in the construction of each model have
been defined in order to emulate its physical counterpart.
 Experimental Procedures, Cont.

• It will be our focus to compare the data obtained from the

models and laboratory experiments to data recorded in
previously related experiments.

• These comparisons will insure two things:

– 1. Our experiments are on track and relevant to previously

found data.

– 2. Keep the focus of our experiments at exceeding and

improving on related NASA experimental findings.
 Results
• Researchers have been diligently working on the NASA project
through out the summer and now continuing during the fall
quarter.

• After spending numerous hours in the laboratory working with

the ANSYS® software researchers have gained substantial
knowledge and experience in constructing computer generated
models.

• We still have a notable amount of experience and knowledge to

gain before we are to be considered leading experts in the field
of computer modeling.

• Recently we have began construction of a computer modeled

static mode actuator.
 Results, Cont.

• We have defined the dimensions to exactly represent THUNDER

model TH 8-R in every aspect.

• Currently we are testing the actuator under a range of applied

voltages to measure its displacement.

• The next goal on the agenda for our research team will be to
compare the data that is currently being recorded from our
ANSYS® models to the data being recorded from our
laboratory experiments.

• The comparisons of these results will give our research team a

better understanding of these THUNDER actuator’s maximum
potential.
 Layer composition of THUNDER actuator before bonding occurs.

1. The top layer (purple) is the aluminum electrode.

2. The middle layer (teal) is the piezoelectric ceramic.
3. The bottom layer (purple) is the metal (stainless steel) substrate.
Layer composition of THUNDER actuator after bonding has occurred.
 ANSYS DATA
0 [V] TO 100 [V]

0.00008

0.00007

0.00006

0.00005
Displacement [m]

0.00004

0.00003

0.00002 y = 7E-07x + 1E-14

R2 = 1

0.00001 Y Displacement

Linear (Y Displacement)
0
0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105
Applied [v]

EACH DATA POINT REPRESENTS A NEW TEST AT A DIFFERENT APPLIED VOLTAGE

 ANSYS DATA
0 [V] TO 150 [V]

0.00012

0.0001

0.00008
Displacment [m]

0.00006

0.00004

y = 7E-07x + 1E-15
R2 = 1
0.00002
Y Displacement

Linear (Y Displacement)
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Applied [v]

EACH DATA POINT REPRESENTS A NEW TEST AT A DIFFERENT APPLIED VOLTAGE

 ANSYS DATA
0 [V] TO 300 [V]

0.00025

0.0002
Displacement [m]

0.00015

0.0001

y = 7E-07x + 4E-14
R2 = 1
0.00005

0 to 300

Linear (0 to 300)
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Applied [v]

EACH DATA POINT REPRESENTS A NEW TEST AT A DIFFERENT APPLIED VOLTAGE

 ANSYS DATA
-200 [V] TO 0 [V]

0.00016

0.00014

0.00012

0.0001
Displacment [m]

0.00008

0.00006

y = -7E-07x + 3E-14 0.00004

R2 = 1

Y Displacement
0.00002

Linear (Y Displacement)
0
-250 -200 -150 -100 -50 0
Applied [v]

EACH DATA POINT REPRESENTS A NEW TEST AT A DIFFERENT APPLIED VOLTAGE

 ANSYS DATA
-100 [V] TO 0 [V]

0.00008

0.00007

0.00006

0.00005
Displacment [m]

0.00004

0.00003

y = -7E-07x + 8E-15
R2 = 1 0.00002

Y Displacement 0.00001

Linear (Y Displacement)
0
-120 -100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0
Applied [v]

EACH DATA POINT REPRESENTS A NEW TEST AT A DIFFERENT APPLIED VOLTAGE

 Technology used in research

• ANSYS® 6.0

– Finite Element Modeling Program

• Hummingbird Exceed 7.1.1

– X Windows Emulator Program

• Solaris 5.8

– Unix Operating System

– Red Hat Linux 7.2, Windows XP OS
 Related Documents

• A Feasibility Study To Control Airfoil Shape Using THUNDER

Actuators
– Jennifer L. Pinkerton and Robert W. Moses
– National Aeronautic and Space Administration
– Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia
– November 1997

• Load Characterization of High Displacement Piezoelectric

Actuators with Various End Conditions
– James Mulling, Tim Usher, Brian Dessent, Jeremy Palmer, Paul Franzon,
Eddie Grant and Angus Kingon
– Materials Research Center, North Carolina State University
– May 2000
 Related Documents, Cont.

• Validation of High Displacement Piezoelectric Actuator Finite

Element Models
– Barmac K. Taleghani
– U.S. Army Research Laboratory
– Vehicle Technology Directorate
– Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia
– August 2000

• Modeling and Simulation of THUNDER Actuators Using ANSYS

Finite Element Analysis
– Chris Kennedy, Tim Usher, James Mulling and Angus Kingon
– Fourth International Conference on Modeling and Simulation of
Microsystems, Head Island, South Carolina
– March 2001