Optimization Design of MEMS Thermal Actuator for Food Industry

Micro-actuator is the key device for the MEMS to perform physical functions. According to a kind of bimorph thermal actuator, this article presents an optimum design method to improve the sensitivity of MEMS actuator. Based on thermal analysis of software ANSYS, the thermal displacement and distribution of temperature field can be obtained clearly. Then a series of reasonable parameters are determined by optimum calculation. The simulation comparison analyses including thermal displacement, stress distribution and fatigue life are carried out to demonstrate that the sensitivity of the optimized structure has been improved effectively by the presented optimization method.

Thermal Analysis and Simulation of MEMS Thermal Actuator for Food Industry

Micro-actuator technology is important base of design and fabrication MEMS. According to a kind of bimorph thermal actuator, this paper obtains the thermal deflection and temperature distribution of MEMS thermal actuator by using finite element analysis. The relationship between the thermal deflection and some parameter such as length of flexure are analyzed in detail. Through simulation comparison, the influences of the length of flexure on thermal deflection and fatigue life are verified, which provides a good guide for the design of MEMS thermal actuator further.