Piezo stepping actuator design with macrometer range and sub micrometer precision

A piezoelectric actuator is a device that provides a large displacement with micro-meter accuracy and nanometer resolution. The displacement accomplished by the piezo stepping actuator was in steps. This mechanism provides high precision, accuracy, and resolution with low power consumption. A stepping linear motion of the actuator based on the piezo stepping actuator was proposed in this work. The stepping motion of the piezo stepping actuator was attained with the help of four push–pull actuators, four lock-release actuators, and two flexural amplified piezoelectric (FAP) actuators. The designed actuator provided a large range of linear displacements with high accuracy. The designed configuration and working principle of the piezo stepping actuator are discussed. Finite element analysis was carried out on the final assembly of the piezo stepping actuator for the maximum displacement obtained from the supporting block. A suitable stepping frequency for the smooth operation of the piezo stepping actuator was adopted. The push-pull actuator, lock-release actuator, FAP actuator, and base assembly were fabricated and tested for displacement values.