Design of a Compliant Vertical Micropositioning Stage Inspired by Lamina Emergent Mechanism

Abstract

The vertical micropositioning stage is a crucial device of precision measurement instruments. Previous vertical platforms often suffer from the disadvantages of large longitudinal dimensions and small output strokes. Inspired by the motion principle of the lamina emergent mechanism, this paper proposes a novel symmetric double-layer compliant vertical micropositioning stage. Such design saves the system footprint in vertical direction with a centimeter-level stroke output. The design and theoretical analysis of the stage are introduced first. Then, the performance simulation of the stage is given based on finite element analysis. A prototype was fabricated through 3D printing technology and preliminary tests were carried out. The stiffness of the overall mechanism obtained from theoretical model, simulation, and experiments shows a good consistency. According to the simulation data, the stiffness of the involved vertical positioning platform is 0.8271 N/mm and the first resonant frequency is 43.96 Hz. The mechanical design proposed in this paper provides a new reference for the design of compliant vertical micropositioning stage.