Single-process 3D-printed stacked dielectric actuator

Tibor Barši Palmić (Author), Janko Slavič (Author)

Abstract

Single-process additive manufacturing provides fully functional 3D-printed structures in a single 3D printer without the need for additional manufacturing processes. The 3D-printed parts can be scaled, individualized, embedded, and combined into multi-functional structures without modifications to the fabrication technology. This manuscript reports the first demonstration of monolithically 3D-printed stacked dielectric actuators (SDEAs) in a single fabrication process utilizing a commercially accessible extrusion 3D printer and thermoplastic filaments. Neither single-layer nor stacked dielectric actuators have been 3D printed with thermoplastic filament extrusion in a single process until now. To achieve single-process fabrication, this research successfully addresses the main challenges: single-process fabrication of the dielectric layer and electrodes, repeatability and reliability of the 3D-printed thin dielectric layer, and layer stacking. Four actuators with different active areas and a number of stacked active layers were 3D printed. The functionality of the 3D-printed actuators was demonstrated with dynamic electromechanical characterization in a free-displacement and blocked-force configuration in a broad frequency range (up to 5 kHz). The actuators show promise for applications that require high-frequency resonators or high controllability in the sub-resonance region.

Keywords

dielectric actuators;fused-filament fabrication;dynamic operation;free displacement characterization;blocked force characterization;smart structures;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2022
Typology:	1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization:	UL FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
UDC:	004.925:007.52
COBISS:	116514307
ISSN:	0020-7403
Views:	77
Downloads:	41
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

Secondary language:	Slovenian
Secondary keywords:	dielektrični aktuatorji;dinamično delovanje;karakterizacija prostega pomika;karakterizacija blokirane sile;pametne strukture;
Type (COBISS):	Article
Pages:	str. 1-14
Issue:	ǂVol. ǂ230
Chronology:	Sep. 2022
DOI:	10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2022.107555
ID:	16006731