Modelling and design of a flexure - based precision positioning system

Abstract

This paper presents the modeling and design of a flexure-based precision positioning system for micro-positioning uses. The positioning system is featured with monolithic architecture, flexurebased joints and ultra fine adjustment screws. The monolithic structure for the require movements was optimized with Solidworks Simulation software package. The mathematical models for the output displacements of the positioning system have been derived (Fig. 2, Fig. 3), which are verified by resorting to finite element analysis (FEA). The workspace of dual axis precision positioning system is 94,65 × 94,65μm by analytical and 89,3 × 86,0μm by FEM, the resolution is 165nm by analytical, 156nm x-axis direction and 155nm yaxis direction by FEM, the reduction ratio is 0,3294 by analytical, 0,3105 x-axis direction and 0,3047 y-axis direction by FEM (Table 1). The differences between analytical and FEM are less than 10%. Finally, the analytical and FEA results show that the proposed positioning system can provide motions with high precision and resolution. The proposed methodology can be applied to the modeling of other types of precise positioning systems as well. In addition, the conducted evaluation provides a guideline for the performance improvement of the precise positioning system in the next step research.