Effect of initial curvature in uniform flexures on position accuracy

- The effect of the initial curvature on position accuracy is investigated.
- Uniform primitive flexures are considered.
- Analytical expressions evaluate the rotation axis shift and the position error.
- Four flexures with different curvatures are compared.
- Finite element analyses are performed to verify the analytical model.

Position accuracy is a prerequisite for compliant mechanisms, especially in micro-scale applications. Generally, this feature depends on the flexures ability to imitate the revolute joints of the pseudo-rigid body model. In case of flexible elements, the center of the relative rotation varies its position during the deflections, affecting the position accuracy. In this paper, the role played by the initial curvature is investigated, in case of uniform primitive flexures. Analytical expressions are derived to evaluate the shift of the rotation axis with respect to the flexure centroid. An example shows the performance of four flexures with different curvatures, evaluated by comparing the rotation axis shift and the position error.