Design of micro-actuators using compliant mechanism

Recent trend on the research for the storage devices are focusing the realization of the small size and the increase of the recording density. This study is on the development of the design process of the swing arm type actuator composed of two actuators for tracking and focusing that can be widely used in the mobile storage devices. The coarse actuator for tracking is activated by the voice coil motor (VCM) and the fine actuator is activated by PZT. For the design of such actuators, it is required to maximize the sensitivity (force/unit current) as well as to satisfy the dynamic constraints. This research is focusing to increase the sensitivity of the actuator. As a design methodology, topology optimization to design a compliant mechanism can be used for the design of the coarse actuator as well as the fine actuator since increasing the sensitivity is correlated with maximizing the deformation at a certain point for specified exciting forces. For the coarse actuator design, it is necessary to optimize the VCM to maximize the magnetic force: therefore, the parameter optimization technique is applied for the VCM design. Based on the VCM design, the structural part is designed not only for maximizing the sensitivity but also considering the dynamic characteristics. For the fine actuator design, the compliant mechanism excited by the pressure from PZT is designed by topology optimization to increase the sensitivity. The resulted design is expected to manufacture the prototype of small form factor actuators.