Modified IWO algorithm for topological optimum synthesis of the displacement amplifying compliant mechanism

Author(s):  
SM Varedi-Koulaei ◽  
MR MohammadZadeh

The conventional mechanisms transmitted force and displacement through rigid members (high stiffness) and traditional joints (with high softness), where recently, researchers have come up with new systems called compliant mechanisms that transfer power and mobility through the deformation of their flexible members. One of the most frequently used approaches for designing compliant mechanisms is topology optimization. Extracting the optimal design of a displacement amplifying compliant mechanism using the modified Invasive Weed Optimization (MIWO) method is the current study's main novelty. The studied mechanism is a compliant micro-mechanism that can be used as a micrometric displacement amplifier. The goal of this synthesis is to maximize the output-to-input displacement ratio. In this research, a new random step is added to the Invasive Weed Optimization (IWO) method; the new seeds can be spread farther from their parents, which can be improved the algorithm's abilities. The results show that the use of the modified IWO algorithm for this problem has led to a significant improvement over the results from similar articles.

Robotica ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (08) ◽  
pp. 1383-1400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chih-Hsing Liu ◽  
Chen-Hua Chiu ◽  
Mao-Cheng Hsu ◽  
Yang Chen ◽  
Yen-Pin Chiang

SummaryThis study presents an optimal design procedure including topology optimization and size–shape optimization methods to maximize mechanical advantage (which is defined as the ratio of output force to input force) of the synthesized compliant mechanism. The formulation of the topology optimization method to design compliant mechanisms with multiple output ports is presented. The topology-optimized result is used as the initial design domain for subsequent size–shape optimization process. The proposed optimal design procedure is used to synthesize an adaptive compliant gripper with high mechanical advantage. The proposed gripper is a monolithic two-finger design and is prototyped using silicon rubber. Experimental studies including mechanical advantage test, object grasping test, and payload test are carried out to evaluate the design. The results show that the proposed adaptive complaint gripper assembly can effectively grasp irregular objects up to 2.7 kg.


2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hima Maddisetty ◽  
Mary Frecker

Abstract Piezoceramic actuators have gained widespread use due to their desirable qualities of high force, high bandwidth, and high energy density. Compliant mechanisms can be designed for maximum stroke amplification of piezoceramic actuators using topology optimization. In this paper, the mechanical efficiency and other performance metrics of such compliant mechanism/actuator systems are studied. Various definitions of efficiency and other performance metrics of actuators with amplification mechanisms from the literature are reviewed. These metrics are then applied to two compliant mechanism example problems and the effect of the stiffness of the external load is investigated.


2010 ◽  
Vol 132 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Zhou

The hybrid discretization model for topology optimization of compliant mechanisms is introduced in this paper. The design domain is discretized into quadrilateral design cells. Each design cell is further subdivided into triangular analysis cells. This hybrid discretization model allows any two contiguous design cells to be connected by four triangular analysis cells whether they are in the horizontal, vertical, or diagonal direction. Topological anomalies such as checkerboard patterns, diagonal element chains, and de facto hinges are completely eliminated. In the proposed topology optimization method, design variables are all binary, and every analysis cell is either solid or void to prevent the gray cell problem that is usually caused by intermediate material states. Stress constraint is directly imposed on each analysis cell to make the synthesized compliant mechanism safe. Genetic algorithm is used to search the optimum and to avoid the need to choose the initial guess solution and conduct sensitivity analysis. The obtained topology solutions have no point connection, unsmooth boundary, and zigzag member. No post-processing is needed for topology uncertainty caused by point connection or a gray cell. The introduced hybrid discretization model and the proposed topology optimization procedure are illustrated by two classical synthesis examples of compliant mechanisms.


Author(s):  
Hong Zhou ◽  
Nitin M. Dhembare

The design domain of a synthesized compliant mechanism is discretized into quadrilateral design cells in both hybrid and quadrilateral discretization models. However, quadrilateral discretization model allows for point connection between two diagonal design cells. Hybrid discretization model completely eliminates point connection by subdividing each quadrilateral design cell into triangular analysis cells and connecting any two contiguous quadrilateral design cells using four triangular analysis cells. When point connection is detected and suppressed in quadrilateral discretization, the local topology search space is dramatically reduced and slant structural members are serrated. In hybrid discretization, all potential local connection directions are utilized for topology optimization and any structural members can be smooth whether they are in the horizontal, vertical or diagonal direction. To compare the performance of hybrid and quadrilateral discretizations, the same design and analysis cells, genetic algorithm parameters, constraint violation penalties are employed for both discretization models. The advantages of hybrid discretization over quadrilateral discretization are obvious from the results of two classical synthesis examples of compliant mechanisms.


Author(s):  
Hima Maddisetty ◽  
Mary Frecker

A topology optimization method is developed to design a piezoelectric ceramic actuator together with a compliant mechanism coupling structure for dynamic applications. The objective is to maximize the mechanical efficiency with a constraint on the capacitance of the piezoceramic actuator. Examples are presented to demonstrate the effect of considering dynamic behavior compared to static behavior, and the effect of sizing the piezoceramic actuator on the optimal topology and the capacitance of the actuator element. Comparison studies are also presented to illustrate the effect of damping, external spring stiffness, and driving frequency. The optimal topology of the compliant mechanism is shown to be dependent on the driving frequency, the external spring stiffness, and if the piezoelectric actuator element is considered as design or non-design. At high driving frequencies, it was found that the dynamically optimized structure is very near resonance.


Author(s):  
Wenshuo Ma ◽  
Yan Xie ◽  
Jingjun Yu ◽  
Xu Pei

Dynamic performance is of great importance to compliant mechanisms which are employed in dynamic applications, especially if the dynamic problems in DOC (degree of constraint) directions are to be met. An investigation on the dynamic characteristics of a 2R compliant mechanism is presented. Based on the substructure techniques, the in-plane dynamic model of the preceding compliant mechanisms is developed. The natural frequencies and sensitivities are then analyzed. The numerical result verifies the validity of the proposed method. Finally, optimal design of compliant mechanism is investigated.


2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Cao ◽  
Allan T. Dolovich ◽  
Wenjun (Chris) Zhang

This paper proposes a topology optimization framework to design compliant mechanisms with a mixed mesh of both beams and flexure hinges for the design domain. Further, a new type of finite element, i.e., super flexure hinge element, was developed to model flexure hinges. Then, an investigation into the effects of the location and size of a flexure hinge in a compliant lever explains why the point-flexure problem often occurs in the resulting design via topology optimization. Two design examples were presented to verify the proposed technique. The effects of link widths and hinge radii were also investigated. The results demonstrated that the proposed meshing scheme and topology optimization technique facilitate the rational decision on the locations and sizes of beams and flexure hinges in compliant mechanisms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 10831
Author(s):  
Jincheng Guo ◽  
Huaping Tang

This paper presents a stiffness-oriented structure topology optimization (TO) method for the design of a continuous, hinge-free compliant mechanism (CM). A synthesis formulation is developed to maximize the mechanism’s mutual potential energy (MPE) to achieve required structure flexibility while maximizing the desired stiffness to withstand the loads. Different from the general approach of maximizing the overall stiffness of the structure, the proposed approach can contribute to guiding the optimization process focus on the desired stiffness in a specified direction by weighting the related eigen-frequency of the corresponding eigenmode. The benefit from this is that we can make full use of the material in micro-level compliant mechanism designs. The single-node connected hinge issue which often happened in optimized design can be precluded by introducing the eigen-frequency constraint into this synthesis formulation. Several obtained hinge-free designs illustrate the validity and robustness of the presented method and offer an alternative method for hinge-free compliant mechanism designs.


Author(s):  
Colby C. Swan ◽  
Salam F. Rahmatalla

A control algorithm to manipulate the input actuation forces on hinge-free compliant mechanism models synthesized utilizing continuum topology optimization formulations is implemented and successfully tested in this work, such that the mechanisms follow their specified trajectories and nearby trajectories with high degree of accuracy even when confronted with different resistance forces. The validity of the proposed formulations is tested and demonstrated on number of practical problems involving finite deformation.


Author(s):  
Hong Zhou ◽  
Satya Raviteja Kandala

Topology uncertainty leads to different topology solutions and makes topology optimization ambiguous. Point connection and grey cell might cause topology uncertainty. They are both eradicated when hybrid discretization model is used for discrete topology optimization. A common topology uncertainty in the current discrete topology optimization stems from mesh dependence. The topology solution of an optimized compliant mechanism might be uncertain when its design domain is discretized differently. To eliminate topology uncertainty from mesh dependence, the genus based topology optimization strategy is introduced in this paper. The topology of a compliant mechanism is defined by its genus which is the number of holes in the compliant mechanism. With this strategy, the genus of an optimized compliant mechanism is actively controlled during its topology optimization process. There is no topology uncertainty when this strategy is incorporated into discrete topology optimization. The introduced topology optimization strategy is demonstrated by examples with different degrees of genus.


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