Compliant mechanical amplifier design using multiple optimally placed actuators

This article discusses a methodology for designing compliant mechanisms with piezoelectric actuation to obtain maximum deflection and force at the output point. The focus is on design of compliant mechanisms with multiple piezoelectric actuators. The number, size, and position of the actuators within the compliant mechanism are optimized for the maximum output deflection. Predicted results demonstrate that compliant mechanisms with multiple, optimally placed actuators outperform those with a single actuator placed at a predetermined location.