Wirelessly controllable inflated electroactive polymer (EAP) reflectors

Bao, Xiaoqi; Bar‐Cohen, Yoseph; Chang, Zenghu; Sherrit, Stewart; Bădescu, Mircea

doi:10.1117/12.599787

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 14 publications

(13 reference statements)

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“…Limited by carriers, these reflectors and antennas often adopt collapsible, low-massed membrane structures. However, membrane structures have low stiffness and large flexibility, which make it hard to guarantee the surface accuracy [4], so control methods that can actively change the reflector's shape must be adopted urgently.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling and experiments of PLZT/PVDF hybrid drive method for non-contact shape adjustment

Yue

Jiang

Long

et al. 2014

JAE

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In order to improve the technical specifications of space reflectors, antennas and other payloads on Earth observation, space communication, deep space exploration and other fields of space applications, people urgently need to enhance the surface shape control accuracy of these large complex curvature flexible structures. Based on the photovoltaic effect and converse piezoelectric effect, this paper presents a non-contact shape-adjusting method which adopts a new space energy conversion: using the PLZT photovoltage, which is controlled by the ultraviolet, to activate the PVDF attached on the flexible structure surface, and adjust and control the structure's shape. This paper firstly built up the electric model of the PLZT/PVDF hybrid drive, derived the constitutive relation of light-electric-mechanical energy field conversion, and determined the key parameters in mathematical model by principle experiments. Then, taking a flexible cantilever beam as the control object, actuation equation of the PVDF bonded structure was built, and actuation properties and influence factors of the cantilever beam actuated by the PLZT/PVDF hybrid drive were simulated and analyzed. After that, the hybrid drive experiment system was built up, and deflecting effect of using ultraviolet illuminated PLZT to actuate PVDF bonded cantilever beam was tested, whose result verified the validity of theoretical modeling and simulation analysis. Lastly, characteristics of the hybrid drive method and conventional PVDF driving were compared, and space application direction of this method was pointed out.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling and experiments of PLZT/PVDF hybrid drive method for non-contact shape adjustment

Yue

Jiang

Long

et al. 2014

JAE

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“…In the literature, a finite element model was configured to predict the behavior of the inflatable EAP membranes under prestrains, pressures and distributed electric charges on the surface. To explore the controllability of the inflatable EAP reflectors, an iteration algorithm was developed to find the required applied electric field distribution for correcting the aberration of a Hencky curve to the desired parabolic curve [2] . Except for EAP, PVDF is also useful for shape control of membrane structures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Membrane wrinkling patterns and control with SMA and SMPC actuators

Tan

et al. 2009

SPIE Proceedings

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Wrinkling is a main factor affecting the performance of the membrane structures and is always considered to be a failure as it can cause dramatic decrease of shape accuracy. The study of membrane wrinkling control has the analytical and experimental meanings. In this paper, a feasible membrane shape control method is presented. An expression of wrinkle wavelength using stress extremum principle is established based on the tension field theory and the Von Karman large deflection formula which verifies the generation and evolution reason of membrane wrinkles. The control mechanism for membrane wrinkles is developed using shape memory alloy (SMA) and shape memory polymer composite (SMPC) actuators which are attached to the boundaries of the membrane for producing contraction/expansion forces to adjust the shape of the membrane. The whole control process is monitored by photogrammetric technique. Numerical simulations are also conducted using ANSYS finite element software with the nonlinear post-buckling analytical method. Both the experimental and numerical results show that the amplitudes of wrinkles are effectively controlled by SMA and SMPC actuators. The method introduced in this paper provides the foundation for shape control of the membrane wrinkling and is important to the future work on vibration control of space membrane structures.

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“…Thus, far, inflated lenticular reflectors have only been used for applications in which low imaging acuity is sufficient. However, one drawback that prohibits their use for high-precision applications is the difficulty in controlling and maintaining their shape to the desired spherical or parabolic profile [1].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Reference [8] investigated a noncontact distributed actuation methodology of PVDF films using a steerable electron beam. Furthermore, [1] explored the performance of electron-beam-actuated electroactive polymers (EAP) for global shape control of the W error. Further, [9] explored the use of prescribed temperature deviations of various locations on a reflector to implement shape correction.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimized Gore/Seam Cable Actuated Shape Control of Gossamer Membrane Reflectors

DeSmidt

Wang

Fang

2007

Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets

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This investigation explores the feasibility of using an active gore/seam cable-based control system to reduce global root mean square figure errors due to thermal loading and inflation effects (W error) in large, gossamer, inflatable membrane reflectors. Analysis is performed on an inflated spherical membrane with polyvinylidene-fluorideactuated radial cables, for which the cable lengths and attachment points are designed via genetic algorithm optimization. It is found that through proper tailoring of the cable lengths, significant global root mean square figureerror reduction is achieved. Specifically, root mean square errors due to on-orbit thermal loading were reduced by approximately 75% with a 104-cable active gore/seam cable-control system that has a mass equal to 15% the original reflector. Similarly, W errors were reduced by approximately 95% with a 104-gore/seam cable-control system with a mass ratio of 12%. Finally, to deal with simultaneous W error and thermal loading with uncertain relative magnitudes, a hybrid gore/seam cable-control configuration based on a combination of independently optimized thermal and W-error cable patterns is considered. By adjusting the weights of a hybrid objective function, the gore/ seam cable-control system demonstrated robust shape-control performance for combined loading conditions. Because of the relatively lightweight designs and shape-control effectiveness, the gore/seam cable-shape-control concept seems promising for future gossamer reflector applications.

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Wirelessly controllable inflated electroactive polymer (EAP) reflectors

Cited by 5 publications

References 14 publications

Modelling and experiments of PLZT/PVDF hybrid drive method for non-contact shape adjustment

Modelling and experiments of PLZT/PVDF hybrid drive method for non-contact shape adjustment

Membrane wrinkling patterns and control with SMA and SMPC actuators

Optimized Gore/Seam Cable Actuated Shape Control of Gossamer Membrane Reflectors

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