A Design of an Instrument Based on a Piezoelectric Actuator to Study the Force Output of Piezoelectric Ceramic

Abstract The conventional methods to measure the force output of piezoelectric ceramic are imprecise. This article proposes an instrument based on a piezoelectric actuator to study the force output of piezoelectric ceramic. This instrument mainly consists of a flexible hinge structure based on a piezoelectric actuator, a pair of support structures, and a precise signal test system. A method including a displacement control system is newly introduced. A corresponding mechanical structure is designed to test its performance. Additionally, the physical structures and functional principles of the device are strictly discussed, and the effects of the lean of piezo-slices on the device are also theoretically analyzed. The maximum motion resolution of the device was 30 nm, and the maximum force capacity of the device was 76.4 N. A series of experiments have been done to verify the device could meet the needs of precise positioning with a high resolution and a large load capacity. The relationships between the force output and displacement of piezoelectric stacks and the rectangle of piezoelectric ceramic slices are elucidated. Additionally, the curves of voltage and the maximum force output are presented, accompanied by the uncertainty and error analyses. The experimental results indicate that the force outputs can be precisely measured through the proposed instrument. In comparison with the conventional method, the new instrument measures the maximum force output much more directly and efficiently and obtains the plots of force output–displacement and force output–voltage. To sum up, the new device works more simply and precisely.