| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 749775 | Sensors and Actuators A: Physical | 2008 | 9 Pages |
This paper examines the design and testing of a frictional MEMS micro-conveyor. Unlike previously known micro-conveyors that use clamping or impact forces, the reported micro-conveyor operates using only the friction/stiction between a driving unit and a shuttle. The driving unit consists of three inverted feet that are attached to the substrate and are individually driven by conventional thermal actuators. A proper sequencing of the feet motions makes the shuttle move in micro-sized steps either forwards or backwards. The conveyor can be operated in two modes with either two or three feet being driven. The range of motion was only limited by the length of the shuttle. The micro-conveyor driving unit has an area of 400 μm × 650 μm, can move a 750 μm × 50 μm shuttle at velocities exceeding 250 μm/s, can produce a horizontal force of more than 14 μN, and can move an external load weighing more than 150 μN, all with an actuation voltage of less than 3 V. The dependence of the shuttle velocity and force on the mode of operation, actuation voltage, and input frequency are investigated. Experimental measurements are compared to numerical simulations of the shuttle’s motion.
