Design and analysis of a 3‐D braided composite piezoelectric thin sheet micromotion platform

Abstract To improve the displacement output capability of piezoelectric micromotion platform, this study leverages the superior mechanical properties of the three‐dimensional (3‐D) braided composites to propose a 3‐D braided composite piezoelectric thin‐sheet micromotion platform (BCPTSM‐MP). This platform is constructed using 3‐D braided unimorph piezoelectric thin‐sheet actuators (BUPTSAs) and flexible hinges. The 3‐D BCPTSM‐MP features a compact structure, a large range of motion, and provides three degrees of freedom (3‐DOF) in pose output. Based on elastic beam theory and the compliance matrix method, a model of the 3‐D BCPTSM‐MP is developed. The pose output and dynamic response characteristics under an electric field are analyzed, and the influence of the braided angle and structural dimensions on the pose output and natural frequency are also investigated. Numerical results demonstrate that the 3‐D BCPTSM‐MP achieves a large output stroke and high response speed and can meet the requirements of practical applications.