Design Optimization for a Parallel MEMS Mechanism with Flexure Joints

Published

October 4, 2004

Author(s)

Byoung H. Kang, J Wen, Nicholas Dagalakis, Jason J. Gorman

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis tool and design method forMEMS parallel mechanisms. Due to processing constraints inMEMS fabrication, flexure joints are frequently used in MEMSmechanisms. Flexure joints offer advantages over other joint designdue to their monolithic characteristics. They can be usedto reduce the size of manipulators or to increase the precisionof motion. Their inherent flexibility, however, also results in taskspace compliance which needs to be carefully designed to matchthe task specification. This paper presents an analysis and designtool for such mechanisms by using the differential kinematics.Performance metrics are chosen based on manipulability andtask stiffness matrices, which in turn are used in a multi-objectiveoptimization. As an illustrative example, a 1-DOF MEMS parallelmechanism based on the macro- and meso-scale modelsdesigned by NIST is considered with several choices of performancemetrics and design variables. The resulting designs aresuccessfully fabricated using DRIE process.

Proceedings Title

Proceedings of ASME Design Engineering Technical Conferences

Volume

DETC2004/MECH-57455

Conference Dates

September 28-October 2, 2004

Conference Location

Salt Lake City, UT, USA

Conference Title

ASME Design Engineering Technical Conference

Pub Type

Conferences

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Keywords

flexure, MEMS, optimization, parallel mechanism

Citation

Kang, B. , Wen, J. , Dagalakis, N. and Gorman, J. (2004), Design Optimization for a Parallel MEMS Mechanism with Flexure Joints, Proceedings of ASME Design Engineering Technical Conferences, Salt Lake City, UT, USA, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=822367 (Accessed October 15, 2025)