Cedrat Technologies, innovation in mechatronics

Piezo-electric motors have been successfully developed for various applications like autofocus drives in camera lenses and handling equipment for semiconductor production. Their high speed and accurate positioning capability, combined with a favourable holding torque in unpowered condition, make piezomotors also very attractive for actuation purposes in spacecraft mechanisms. The paper introduces a new concept of a versatile ultrasonic piezomotor. The testing campaign carried out on the designed rotating piezomotor has validated the vacuum compatibility and the lifetime of the motor in air.

Sandia National Laboratories has previously tested a capability to impose a 7.5 g-rms (30 g peak) radial vibration load up to 2 kHz on a 25 lb object with superimposed 50 g acceleration at its centrifuge facility. This was accomplished by attaching a 3,000 lb Unholtz-Dickie mechanical shaker at the end of the centrifuge arm to create a “Vibrafuge”. However, the combination of non-radial vibration directions, and linear accelerations higher than 50g’s are currently not possible because of the load capabilities of the shaker and the stresses on the internal shaker components due to the combined centrifuge acceleration.

Piezoelectric mechanisms are more and more used in space applications requiring precise positioning functions for scientific payloads or optical functions. Indeed, piezoelectric actuators are generally deemed of being good candidates for driving and control compact mechanisms.

Smart actuators and intelligent structures receive a considerable interest in the fields of Air & Space, to realise new functions or more efficient functions than passive structures. In these fields, there are needs for actuation means offering high mechanical energy density (product of stroke and force divided by the mass), a low power consumption, a resistance to severe environment (such as vibrations) as well as other case by case needs : High resolution (embedded active optics for cameras and telescopes), fast response (active control of structures shape, active damping of vibration)…

Several classes of Piezo Actuators based on low voltages piezo ceramics have been developed by CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES in order to cover needs for long stroke, precise and/or fast positioning in the fields of air & space applications. A specific class of Amplified Piezo Actuators, so called APA has been patented, developed and qualified. Their applications concern subjects as various as Scientific Instruments for Space payloads (Telescopes, Microscopes), Micro-Satellites Propulsion Valves or Active flaps of Helicopter Blades.

The focus of this research was to create a linear motor that could easily be packaged and still perform the same task of the current DC motor linear device. An incremental linear motor design was decided upon, for its flexibility in which the motor can be designed. To replace the current motor it was necessary to develop a high force, high speed incremental linear motor. To accomplish this task, piezoelectric actuators were utilized to drive the motor due their fast response times and high force capabilities.

The DTT35XS is a new piezo mechanism coming from CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES lab in February 2002. It comes from a development for space needs defi ned with the CNES (the French space agency), and for which a first application was found in the frame of “PHARAO”. This mechanism is based on two pairs of APA35XS, Amplifi ed Piezo Actuators displaying 35 µm of stroke each, arranged in cross configuration. The mechanism allows both a defl ection of +/- 2 mrad around the X and Y axis and a vertical displacement of 35 µm in the Z direction.