Research On Flexible Actuator Based On Shape Memory Alloy

With the rapid development of manufacturing and robotics, it is increasingly pressing for developing the actuator with precision processing capacity, small size, light weight, high reliability and energy density provision. It is unsatisfied with actuators based on the conventional electrical machines. It is increasingly focused in the field of new actuator manufacturing, especially, actuators based on functional materials.Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) has been applied in many fields as a typical new functional material. SMA actuator is a new sense of the actuating mechanism. It unites controlling, converting energy and actuating, and uses the unique shape memory effect of SMA material and the specific bias gear to form the double passing and reversible actuating component in order to realize the electromechanical energy conversion by the specific control methods. The actuator with SMA has the characteristics of big power mass rate, simple structure, flexible control and continuously action so that it has immense value in practice in terms of robot assembling and medical apparatus and instruments.In this paper, the structure of embedded shape memory alloy actuator has been improved and optimized on the basis of predecessors, and the experimental prototype was manufactured. The actuator system based on SMA has been designed and manufactured, it unites experimental prototype, driver circuit, temperature detection circuit and upper computer based on LabVIEW.A new SMA actuator structure that Thermoelectric Module(TEM) as the driving device and the flexible rubber rod as the bias gear was innovation presented, and the driver circuit was manufactured. The temperature testing organization has been designed, it unites the selection of the resistor model, the installation of the resistor, the relation between temperature and output voltage of bridge circuit is analyzed theoretically and experimentally.