<title>Development of high-rate large-deflection hingeless trailing-edge control surface for the Smart Wing wind tunnel model</title>

Abstract

A key objective of the Smart Wing Phase 2, Test 2 is to demonstrate high-rate actuation of hingeless control surfaces using smart material-based actuators. Actuation rates resulting in a minimum of 20 degree(s) flap deflection in 0.33 sec, producing a sweep rate of at least 60 degree(s)/sec, are desired. This sweep rate is similar to those specified for many of the existing military platforms with hinged control surfaces. The ability to deploy control surfaces without discrete hingeline would, however, enhance platform mission by reducing radar cross section and improving aerodynamic performance. Studies on numerous actuation concepts and flexible structures were executed during the early and mid phase of the program in an effort to satisfy these goals. In the first study, several actuation concepts with different transducers were modeled and analyzed. These concepts included distributed piezoelectric stack actuators with and without hydraulic amplifiers and pumps, antagonistic tendon actuation, and eccentuation. The transducers selected for the trade studies included piezoelectric ultrasonic motors, actively cooled SMA, ferromagnetic SMA, and stacks made from piezoelectric ceramic wafer, piezoelectric single crystal wafer, irradiated PVDF-TrFE film, and dielectric elastomer film. Although many of the technologies are not fully mature, they provide a glimpse of what improvements could be possible with their successful development. The studies showed that distributed polymer stacks provided the most elegant solution, but eccentuation was deemed the most realistic and lowest risk approach to attaining the program goals. A common issue to all the concepts was the structural stiffness that the actuators worked against. This was resolved in the second study by developing a flexcore- elastomeric skin trailing edge structure with eccentuation using high power ultrasonic motors. This paper describes the two studies and the final concept in detail.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.