Novel Low-cost Energy Harvester Based on anArrangement of Piezoelectric Actuators

CARLOS ANDRES FERRARA BELLO Margarita Tecpoyotl Torres (2024)

This article provides the design, modeling, fabrication, and testing of an energy

harvester from mechanical vibrations, based on a piezoelectric material. This device

works on the principle of piezoelectric transduction, i.e., when mechanically

deformed, it generates electrical energy due to vibrations. The piezoelectric material

used in the fabrication was Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT), and brass as structural

base. In addition, finite element models were performed to predict the frequency of

the first vibration mode of the device, and experimental setups for validation. The

resonance frequency of the numerical model and the one obtained experimentally (19

Hz) show a deviation of 5.03% respectively. The generated power is 0.202 mW enough

to power low power devices such as basic calculators, wristwatches, and transistors, among others.

En este artículo se presenta el diseño, modelado, fabricación y pruebas de un cosechador de energía proveniente de vibraciones mecánicas, basado en un material piezoeléctrico. Este dispositivo trabaja bajo el principio de transducción piezoeléctrica, es decir que, al deformarse mecánicamente, debido a las vibraciones genera energía eléctrica. El material piezoeléctrico usado en la fabricación fue Zirconato Titanato de Plomo (PZT), y latón como base estructural. Además, se realizaron modelos de elemento finito para predecir la frecuencia del primer modo de vibración del dispositivo, y arreglos experimentales para su validación. La frecuencia de resonancia del modelo numérico y la obtenida experimentalmente (19 Hz) muestran una desviación de 5.03% respectivamente. La potencia generada es de0.202 mW suficiente para alimentar dispositivos de bajo consumo, tales como calculadoras básicas, relojes de pulsera y transistores, entre otros.

Artículo

INGENIERÍA Y TECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS TECNOLÓGICAS Finite Element Method, low-energy devices, vibration, piezoelectric transducer

XYZ Micropositioning System Based on Compliance Mechanisms Fabricated by Additive Manufacturing

CARLOS ANDRES FERRARA BELLO Pedro Vargas Chable José Gerardo Vera Dimas Margarita Tecpoyotl Torres (2021)

This article presents the design and implementation of a micropositioning system actuated

by three piezoelectric stacks to control its displacements on XYZ axes. The use of conventional

piezoelectric buzzers allows us to reduce fabrication costs. The working or mobile platform is the base

for objects that will be manipulated, for example, in automated assembling. The micropositioner can

be integrated into a microgripper to generate a complete manipulation system. For micropositioner

fabrication, at first, Polylactic Acid (PLA) was chosen as the structural material, but after simulation

and some experimental tests performed with a micropositioner made of Acrylonitrile Butadiene

Styrene (ABS), it showed larger displacement (approx. 20%) due to its lower stiffness. A third test

was performed with a positioner made with Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG), obtaining an

intermediate performance. The originality of this work resides in the geometrical arrangement based

on thermoplastic polymer compliance mechanisms, as well as in the use of additive manufacturing

to fabricate it. An experimental setup was developed to carry out experimental tests. ANSYS™ was

used for simulation.

Artículo

INGENIERÍA Y TECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS TECNOLÓGICAS PETG, MEMS, micromanipulation, piezoelectric actuation, hysteresis effect linearization