Study of piezoceramics for use in teleoperated micromanipulators

This thesis presents an examination of several peizoceramic elements for use as teleoperated micromanipulation actuators. Piezos are known for their high repeatability, high precision, and compact size, but present problems associated with hysteresis and creep. Piezoceramic elements in various shapes and configurations were used to characterize piezoelectric properties, evaluate two sensory devices used to monitor the activity in the piezo elements, and examine three modeling methods used to determine piezo displacement. A test stand was built to perform the tests and is accompanied by a graphical user interface written in LabVIEW to automate the testing procedure. Capacitance gauges, strain gauges, and manufacturer provided equations were used to monitor the activity in the piezo elements and calculate the displacement they experienced.

A total of 41 tests were run to examine the performance of four different piezo elements under various operating conditions. Although some test results were nonuniform, they did show that both strain gauges and capacitance gauges provide useful sensory information. Better equipment is needed to improve the test results, as is a better mounting method for the piezos.