5 – DOF planar – rotary motions piezoelectric robot

Abstract

The paper represents numerical and experimental investigation of 5 – DOF piezoelectric robot which is able to provide two types of motions during operation in different modes i.e. planar and rotary motion modes. Therefore, while the rotary motion mode is active the robot is able to generate rotation of spherical rotor in three directions. Otherwise, if the planar motion mode is active the robot is able to generate unlimited displacement range motion in plane while rotary motion of spherical rotor is not generated. The planar displacement range is limited only by desired operation surface. The design of the robot is simple and is based on piezoelectric ring and passive layer made from stainless steel. The planar or rotary motion can be excited by one or two harmonic excitation signals which should be applied to appropriate electrodes which are formed on top surface of the ring. The operation principle of the robot is based on two vibration modes i.e. radial and bending modes of piezoelectric ring. Numerical and experimental investigations showed that proposed design of the robot is suitable to generate two types of motion and showed that motion modes does not interacts with and does not have influence to accuracy of motions.