Solved with COMSOL Multiphysics 4.4 1 | MICROGRIPPER Microgripper Introduction This is a tutorial model of a piezoelectrically actuated microgripper with mechanical contact. The microgripper contains a piezoelectric actuator that operates in the longitudinal mode. Elongation in the longitudinal direction creates a lifting movement to the structure. Simultaneous contraction in the transversal direction closes the gripper and allows it to move objects, Ref. 1. Model Definition The model geometry is shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Microgripper geometry. The part in the middle represents the piezoelectric actuator. The actuator is made of lead zirconate titanate (PZT-5A), and the gripper itself consists of polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si). Both materials are available in COMSOL Multiphysics’ material libraries. The material properties are prescribed using the rotated coordinate system shown in Figure 2.
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Transcript
Solved with COMSOL Multiphysics 4.4
M i c r o g r i p p e r
Introduction
This is a tutorial model of a piezoelectrically actuated microgripper with mechanical contact. The microgripper contains a piezoelectric actuator that operates in the longitudinal mode. Elongation in the longitudinal direction creates a lifting movement to the structure. Simultaneous contraction in the transversal direction closes the gripper and allows it to move objects, Ref. 1.
Model Definition
The model geometry is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Microgripper geometry. The part in the middle represents the piezoelectric actuator.
The actuator is made of lead zirconate titanate (PZT-5A), and the gripper itself consists of polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si). Both materials are available in COMSOL Multiphysics’ material libraries. The material properties are prescribed using the rotated coordinate system shown in Figure 2.
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Figure 2: Orientation of the coordinate system for the material.
The gripper is operated by applying an electric potential difference at the piezoelectric actuator ends. When the arms come together, a mechanical contact is modeled including the contact pressure computations.
Results and Discussion
The applied voltage gradually increases from zero to the value of 6000 V. This causes the gripper arms to close up and eventually come in contact with each other.
The final distributions of the stress and displacement magnitude in the deformed microgripper are shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4, respectively.
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Figure 3: Logarithm of the von Mises stress in the gripper for V0 = 6000 V.
Figure 4: Total displacement distribution at V0 = 6000 V.
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The resulting contact pressure at the end surfaces is shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5: Contact pressure at V0 = 6000 V.
Notes About the COMSOL Implementation
In this example you learn how to model a piezoelectric material aligned in a user-defined coordinate system and how to include contact modeling.
You create the geometry within COMSOL Multiphysics. First, draw a 2D footprint as shown in Figure 6, and then apply extrusion to create the final 3D geometry. Use a swept mesh as shown in Figure 7.
You set up a contact pair for two end surfaces of the gripper arms and obtain the solution via a parametric sweep over the applied voltage V0.
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Figure 6: Intermediate 2D geometry
Figure 7: Meshed final geometry.
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References
1. R. Keoschkerjan and H. Wurmus, “A Novel Microgripper with Parallel Movement of Gripping Arms,” Proc. Actuator 2002, 8th International Conference on New Actuators, Bremen, Germany, June 10–12, pp. 321–324, 2002.
Model Library path: MEMS_Module/Piezoelectric_Devices/microgripper
Modeling Instructions
From the File menu, choose New.
N E W
1 In the New window, click the Model Wizard button.
M O D E L W I Z A R D
1 In the Model Wizard window, click the 3D button.
2 In the Select physics tree, select Structural Mechanics>Piezoelectric Devices (pzd).
3 Click the Add button.
4 Click the Study button.
5 In the tree, select Preset Studies>Stationary.
6 Click the Done button.
G E O M E T R Y 1
1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1) click Geometry 1.
2 In the Geometry settings window, locate the Units section.
3 From the Length unit list, choose µm.
Work Plane 1 (wp1)1 On the Geometry toolbar, click Work Plane.
This gives a default work plane aligned with the xy-plane at z = 0.
Rectangle 1 (r1)1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1)>Geometry 1>Work Plane
1 (wp1) right-click Plane Geometry and choose Rectangle.
2 In the Rectangle settings window, locate the Size section.
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3 In the Width edit field, type 10.
4 Locate the Position section. In the xw edit field, type -5.
5 In the yw edit field, type -1.
6 Click the Build Selected button.
7 Click the Zoom Extents button on the Graphics toolbar.
Rectangle 2 (r2)1 Right-click Plane Geometry and choose Rectangle.
2 In the Rectangle settings window, locate the Size section.
3 In the Width edit field, type 2.
4 In the Height edit field, type 10.
5 Locate the Position section. In the xw edit field, type -1.
6 Click the Build Selected button.
7 Click the Zoom Extents button on the Graphics toolbar.
Rectangle 3 (r3)1 Right-click Plane Geometry and choose Rectangle.
2 In the Rectangle settings window, locate the Size section.
3 In the Height edit field, type 16.
4 Locate the Position section. In the xw edit field, type -6.
5 In the yw edit field, type -1.
6 Click the Build Selected button.
7 Click the Zoom Extents button on the Graphics toolbar.
Rectangle 4 (r4)1 Right-click Plane Geometry and choose Rectangle.
2 In the Rectangle settings window, locate the Size section.
3 In the Height edit field, type 2.
4 Locate the Position section. In the xw edit field, type -2.
5 In the yw edit field, type 19.5.
6 Click the Build Selected button.
7 Click the Zoom Extents button on the Graphics toolbar.
Fillet 1 (fil1)1 On the Work plane toolbar, click Fillet.
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2 On the object r4, select Point 3 only.
3 In the Fillet settings window, locate the Radius section.
4 In the Radius edit field, type 0.2.
5 Click the Build Selected button.
Next, use the Bezier Polygon as instructed below. Alternatively, you can use the Draw line tool and click on the top-left and top-right corners of r3 and the bottom-right and bottom-left corners of fil1.