Abstract
The principle of a zero-compliance mechanism was used to develop a three-dimensional force measurement instrument. In each axis, the point of force is suspended by a zero-compliance mechanism. A vertical axis force estimation operation imitates the structure of a double series magnetic suspension system. An electromagnet directly controls the movement of the first suspended object (floator), which is denoted as a detection point, and indirectly controls the motion of the second floator, which is denoted as a point of force. Indirect control of the point of force is executed by the attractive force of a permanent magnet that is fixed to the bottom part of the detection point. To achieve zero-compliance, a Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control is applied to the point of force, and to make the system stable, a Proportional-Derivative (PD) control is also applied to the detection point. In such suspension conditions, when force is exerted on the point of force, the displacement of the second floator is regulated to maintain its primary position while the detection point displaces in proportion to the applied force. Thus, a zero-compliance condition is maintained at the point of force, and the external force is measured from the linear displacement of the detection point. To restrict the motions of the detection point and the point of force in translation only, they are supported with leaf springs. This paper presents the modeling of the vertical direction force measurement operation of the developed three-axis force estimation instrument, and the theoretical analyses were validated by experiments of force measurement in both the millinewton and micronewton ranges.
Highlights
Force measurement is immensely important in numerous scientific research and industrial applications, especially in the development of new materials, where the assembly of molecules is essential
Modeling of a vertical direction force measurement operation of a three-dimensional force estimation instrument was validated by the results of force measurements for the mN and μN
Modeling of a vertical direction force measurement operation of a three-dimensional force estimation instrument was validated by the results of force measurements for the mN and μN ranges
Summary
Force measurement is immensely important in numerous scientific research and industrial applications, especially in the development of new materials, where the assembly of molecules is essential. Measuring small force is inevitable in modern micro-assembly and micromanipulation. There are several force measurement techniques that have already been developed [1,2,3]. Some research has focused on measuring small force by using strain gauge-based force sensors [4,5,6], piezoelectric actuators [7,8], Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) sensors [9,10], optical force sensors [11] and so on. For measuring microforce in diversified fields from biological research to material sciences, an atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilever is a widely used tool [12,13].
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