Piezoelectric mechanisms
Piezo mechanisms are based on at least one piezo actuator and on additional functions:
- A piezoelectric mechanism can be based on only one actuator take care of some other degrees of freedom by guiding mechanisms. For example the Optical Phase Difference Actuator (OPDA), a space-qualified linear piezo stage developed for Oerlikon-Contraves Space into the LISA mission presented hereafter, is based on one APA and on an elastic guiding.
- A piezoelectric mechanism can be based on several actuators offering a complementary role. For example in Cedrat XY piezo stages, the piezo actuators of the Y axis provides the guiding of the motion of the X axis actuators and vice-versa.
Most of CEDRAT Group's piezoelectric mechanisms are based on standard or customised Amplified Piezoelectric Actuators (APAs) or Parallel Pre-stress Actuators (PPAs). They allow the realisation of X and XY stages, tip-tilts, hollow actuators, shutters and 5 or 6 degrees of freedom precision mechanisms.
CEDRAT Group's piezo mechanisms benefits from an large aerospace heritage, which itself results from the design choices toward a high reliability and a high energy density: Cedrat piezoactuators are highly pre-stressed and do not include weak points (as hertzian pivot or flexural hinges). This provides several advantages : a very good ability to withstand external loads (as external vibrations), a high dynamics (capability in a large bandwidth from Dc to above resonance) and a long life time.
CEDRAT Group's monolithic (solid state) piezo mechanisms combine one or several actuators and the guiding in one single part, as in the XY stages. This provides additional benefits in terms of compactness, cost and reliability.
Following examples show various prototypes and customised products. Other examples can be found in the mechatronic systems section and among the related publications.
| Fast Piezo Shutter: FPS200M |
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| Description: | The fast piezoelectric shutter FPS200M may be used for shutting off a laser or a X-Ray beam. It is based on the APA200M. Smaller or larger aperture (>1mm) shutters can be easily developed using standard APAs. |
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| Applications: | Crystallography, Optical shutter, beam shutter... | |
| Status: | Product | |
| Double Tilt Translator: DTT35XS |
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| Description: | DTT35XS-space is a very light piezoelectric tip-tilt mechanism designed according to ECSS space rules for Pharao mission and delivered to EADS. |
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| Applications: | Instrumentation, Optics... | |
| Status: | Space qualified prototype | |
