QT bimorph activation for precision delivery guidance systems

Gareth J. Knowles; Bruce Bower; Alfredo Vazques

doi:10.1117/12.546331

29 July 2004 QT bimorph activation for precision delivery guidance systems

Gareth J. Knowles, Bruce Bower, Alfredo Vazques

Proceedings Volume 5388, Smart Structures and Materials 2004: Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.546331
Event: Smart Structures and Materials, 2004, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

One of the major issues facing increasing miniaturization of small launched flight systems for reconnaissance or weapons delivery is the issue of sufficient actuation. Such systems cannot afford conventional servo designs as being far too heavy and volumetric as to be practical. One of the approaches that the flight dynamics community has taken is to investigate possible use of smart materials based approaches. Until now the dilemma has been that the actuators providing sufficient force do not deliver sufficient angular displacement or conversely, actuators provisioning sufficient angular displacement do not yield sufficient force. QorTek has developed a new concept in piezoactuation that can deliver both the necessary force and displacement necessary for many of the miniaturized flight munition, reconnaissance, or other area dominance needs. The new QT Bimorph design builds upon the work by NASA and FACE Corporation in using laminate structures in an autoclave process as to yield a high-performance actuation capability. Unlike these prior actuators the new design has two very important distinctions that make it suitable for miniaturized flight control authority applications. The new piezo-actuator functions in a bimorph - as to unimorph rainbow, Thunder etc. devices. The new device is fabricated as a multilayer device with varying length layers. The first advance enables implementation of such technology to flat structures such as fins, canards, ailerons etc. The second advance enables geometric patterning to form fit the available space within such aerodynamic control activation mechanisms.

Citation Download Citation

Gareth J. Knowles, Bruce Bower, and Alfredo Vazques "QT bimorph activation for precision delivery guidance systems", Proc. SPIE 5388, Smart Structures and Materials 2004: Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies, (29 July 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.546331

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