The project aims to develop and investigate small-sized, multi-DOF piezoelectric actuator with course and fine motion modes for pointing and tracking mechanisms of
free-space optical communication used at nano, micro satellites or other mobile systems. Numerical and experimental investigations of the project are focused on
development of the actuator with double operation mode via resonance and non-resonance operation principles for course and fine motion resolutions, respectively. The
separation of course and fine motions modes leads to higher accuracy, reduced wear of contact surfaces, during continuous pointing and tracking process, as well as
lower pointing error of the motion as well as increased durability of whole pointing and tracking system. The project seeks to investigate self-heating, wear of contact
surfaces and self-diagnostics problems of the actuator. Self-heating of the actuator will be investigated numerically and experimentally as low-frequency destabilization
factor, which has direct influence to motion accuracy as well as to performance of actuator operation. The wear of contact surfaces will be investigated numerically and
experimentally as the main parameter which defines accuracy and repeatability of course and fine motions. Also which impacts durability of whole system as well as one
of the main sources of pointing errors or the most possible source of actuator malfunction. Finally, investigations and application of self-diagnostics systems which are
integrated to the actuator and are based on piezo-active materials will lead to increased durability of the actuator as well as proper feedback on health of whole system
and contact zones
Project funding:
Research Council of Lithuania (RCL), Projects of Postdoctoral fellowships funded by the state budget of the Republic of Lithuania
Project results:
Project results will be published as 3 articles in journals indexed in the Web of Science with Impact Factor
Period of project implementation: 2022-11-03 - 2024-11-02
Project coordinator: Kaunas University of Technology
