Single-process 3D-printed stacked dielectric actuator

Barši Palmić, Tibor (author), Slavič, Janko (author)

Single-process additive manufacturing provides fully functional 3D-printed structures in a single 3D printer without the need for additional manufacturing processes. The 3D-printed parts can be scaled, individualized, embedded, and combined into multi-functional structures without modifications to the fabrication technology. This manuscript reports the first demonstration of monolithically 3D-printed stacked dielectric actuators (SDEAs) in a single fabrication process utilizing a commercially accessible extrusion 3D printer and thermoplastic filaments. Neither single-layer nor stacked dielectric actuators have been 3D printed with thermoplastic filament extrusion in a single process until now. To achieve single-process fabrication, this research successfully addresses the main challenges: single-process fabrication of the dielectric layer and electrodes, repeatability and reliability of the 3D-printed thin dielectric layer, and layer stacking. Four actuators with different active areas and a number of stacked active layers were 3D printed. The functionality of the 3D-printed actuators was demonstrated with dynamic electromechanical characterization in a free-displacement and blocked-force configuration in a broad frequency range (up to 5 kHz). The actuators show promise for applications that require high-frequency resonators or high controllability in the sub-resonance region.

• Language: English
• Keywords: dielectric actuators, fused-filament fabrication, dynamic operation, free displacement characterization, blocked force characterization, smart structures
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: 14 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 230, art. 107555
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-138526
• UDC: 004.925:007.52
• ISSN on article: 0020-7403
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2022.107555
• COBISS.SI-ID: 116514307
• Publication date in RUL: 26.07.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: International journal of mechanical sciences
• Shortened title: Int. j. mech. sci.
• Publisher: Pergamon
• ISSN: 0020-7403
• COBISS.SI-ID: 25648384

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: dielektrični aktuatorji, dinamično delovanje, karakterizacija prostega pomika, karakterizacija blokirane sile, pametne strukture

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P2-0263
• Name: Mehanika v tehniki

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: J2-3045
• Name: V enem procesu 3D natisnjeni dinamični senzorji