Actuator Performance Degradation of Piezo-Composite Actuator LIPCA under Cyclic Actuation

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the fatigue characteristics of LIPCA (LIghtweight Piezo-Composite Actuator) device system. LIPCA device system is composed of a piezoelectric ceramic layer and fiber reinforced light composite layers, typically a PZT ceramic layer is sandwiched by a top fiber layer with low CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) and base layers with high CTE. The advantages of the LIPCA design are using the lightweight fiber reinforced plastic layers without compromising the generation of high force and large displacement and to have design flexibility by selecting the fiber direction and the size of prepreg layers. In addition to the lightweight advantage and design flexibility, the proposed device can be manufactured without adhesive layers when we use resin prepreg system. To investigate the degradation of actuation performance of LIPCA due to the repeated fatigue loading, the repeated loading tests up to several million cycle were performed and the actuation displacement for a given excitation voltage was measured during the test. The fatigue characteristics was measured using an actuator test system consisted of an actuator supporting jig, a high voltage actuating power supplier, and a non-contact laser measuring system and evaluated.