Cedrat Technologies, innovation in mechatronics

In Inertia Drive Motors, generated motion is based on stick-slip principle. Current analytical models are predictive enough to calculate qualitatively their optimal performances, such as maximal step size and speed, with relatively few input parameters. Butn they do not take into account the contact life and temporal evolution of parameters as friction factor all along lifetime of IDM. So analytical models reach their limitswhen precise predictions are necessary.

To introduce in vivo multifrequency single‐shot magnetic resonance elastography for full‐FOV stiffness mapping of the mouse brain and to compare in vivo stiffness of neural tissues with different white‐to‐gray matter ratios. Brain mechanical properties influence many vital neurological functions including brain development, metabolism, and tissue repair. However, studying brain mechanical properties in a noninvasive fashion encounters a number of challenges including the fact that the brain is protected by the skull as well as the heterogeneous and complex geometry of the brain. At present, magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is the sole modality allowing noninvasive measurement of in vivo brain mechanical properties in patients and small animals.

Model a contactless proximity sensor that can be used at the same time as limit switch (in deployment mechanisms) or top tower.

Already presented at 2015 ESMATS symposium [1], the CEA-Cryomechanism (CM) is a cryogenic rotating actuator that can operate from room temperature down to cryogenic environments, under vacuum or nitrogen atmosphere. In the framework of the Euclid-NISP space program, after having built two bread board model (BBM) units, CEA has undergone the integration of three qualification model (QM) units, among which one unit is going through a full qualification program (the two remaining units are intended to be qualified at upper system level).

In many cases piezoelectric actuators reach limitations in terms of maximum displacement and cycling frequency. Most amplified actuator technologies struggle to go over the millimeter of stroke. Furthermore certain closed-loop applications demand stroke measurement integrated into the actuator. While few amplifiers on the market can offer 20Amps current over a few 100ms, development of high power supply units runs parallel with actuator improvements. However with the introduction of high power supplies comes the problem of self-heating of the piezo ceramic. Finally extreme environmental conditions in terms of harsh conditions and high temperatures need to be addressed in order to open these markets for piezo actuators. Cedrat Technologies has been heavily investigating in solutions to overcome all of these drawbacks and these solutions are presented here.

Synchrotrons need robust products. That’s why the association of piezo actuator technology and CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES (CTEC) know-how has been successful for synchrotron mechanisms projects. The technological brick is the “Amplified Piezo Actuator” (APA®) tested and widely used in space applications, it is often implemented in CTEC piezo mechanisms and provides a high level of robustness. Modifying the layout and the number of APA® allows several needs to be addressed within beamlines. Three applications developed in collaboration with the EMBL, PAL and SOLEIL will be presented in this paper. The first application consists of cutting a beam with a piezo shutter. The maximum beam diameter is 3 mm. The second mechanism allows the energy of a beam to be modified by using a series of piezo actuated filters. And the last mechanism aims at modifying the beam section shape with an active piezo micro-slits mechanism.

Fast Steering Mirrors are core products continuously developed by Cedrat Technologies (CTEC) for optical pointing applications, for Space, and Optronic domains. During the last decade, main development efforts where focused on piezoelectric mechanisms technology, in order to achieve ultra-high frequency bandwidth control performance over small angle strokes. New applications under maturation in Europe, such as laser optical communication, require much higher angle strokes compared to the existing state of the art, which cannot be easily achieved by piezoelectric technology. Therefore CTEC is focusing on the development of a new Fast Steering Mirror family based on high angle stroke magnetic actuators. This paper presents this new steering mechanism concept, and the prototype performance results expected.