Compliant mechanisms are mechanical devices that achieve motion via elastic deformation. A new method for topological synthesis of single-piece compliant mechanisms is presented, using a ' 'design for required deflection'' approach. A simple beam example is used to illustrate this concept and to provide the motivation for a new multi-criteria approach for compliant mechanism design. This new approach handles motion and loading requirements simultaneously for a given set of input force and output deflection specifications. Both a truss ground structure and a two-dimensional continuum are used in the implementation which is illustrated with design examples.^ 238
A comprehensive thermal model for an electro-thermal-compliant (ETC) microactuator is presented in this paper. The model accounts for all modes of heat dissipation and the temperature dependence of thermophysical and heat transfer properties. The thermal modelling technique underlying the microactuator model is general and can be used for the virtual testing of any ETC device over a wide range of temperatures (300-1500 K). The influence of physical size and thermal boundary conditions at the anchors, where the device is connected to the substrate, on the behaviour of an ETC microactuator is studied by finite element simulations based on the comprehensive thermal model. Simulations show that the performance ratio of the microactuator increased by two orders of magnitude when the characteristic length of the device was increased by one order of magnitude from 0.22 to 2.2 mm. Restricting heat loss to the substrate via the device anchors increased the actuator stroke by 66% and its energy efficiency by 400%, on average, over the temperature range of 300-1500 K. An important observation made is that the size of the device and thermal boundary conditions at the device anchor primarily control the stroke, operating temperature and performance ratio of the microactuator for a given electrical conductivity.
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