Shape Memory Alloy Monolithic Micro-Meso Scale Manipulator

The need for low-cost robust meso-scale smart robots (manipulators) that have no discrete parts (monolithic) no sensors (self-sensing) and can be used in space-constrained systems e.g. in microfactories biomedical applications etc. was the motivation for the current research. This study describes the design fabrication and analysis of such a smart robot - a monolithic Micro/Meso Scale Manipulator (mMM) fabricated from Shape Memory Alloy powders (NiTi) by means of the laser-based Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) process.A first prototype a functional part of the mMM - a SMA accordion spring type actuator was manufactured by DMD. The actuator provides a linear movement for the mMM due to the Shape Memory Effect (SME) property of SMAs. A new mathematical model describing the phase transformation kinetics in SMAs and a new analytical phase transformation function was developed. In the current work a self-sensing concept was explored and evaluated in an SMA wire actuator and applied to the SMA spring based actuator. A new mathematical model of the motion of the SMA wire- and spring-based actuators was developed.