Produktion und Systeme
Refine
Year of publication
- 2000 (5) (remove)
Document Type
Has Fulltext
- no (5)
Is part of the Bibliography
- no (5)
Keywords
- Grippers (1)
- Nanotechnology (1)
- Piezoelectric actuators (1)
- Robots (1)
Institute
- Fakultät Elektro- und Informationstechnik (5) (remove)
Begutachtungsstatus
- peer-reviewed (2)
Piezoelectric actuators are well established for use in expensive optical equipment. Within the last decade, relatively inexpensive piezoelectric actuators have become established technology in pneumatic switching and the first piezoelectrically driven impactive robot grippers are just starting to emerge. Although this article concentrates largely on the use of piezoelectric actuators for use in robot gripping systems, the potential for applications outside this field is immense.
Shape memory materials fulfill an important role in both actuation and mechanical coupling between actuators and associated dynamic systems. The simplest techniques are thermally based and in addition to the more common shape memory alloys there are also shape memory polymers. These have similar characteristics to those of their metallic cousins, but there the relationship stops. The basic physical principles are very different and this paper attempts to outline the current state-of-the-art to those already involved with the technology and perhaps open a fresh chapter in smart materials to those who are new to it.