Development of a boundary-driven actuator for plate vibration
Part Of
Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Journal Volume
13947
Start Page
1394713
ISSN
0277786X
ISBN (of the container)
9781510698352
ISBN
9781510698352
Date Issued
2026-04-16
Author(s)
Abstract
This study reports on a novel boundary-driven actuation method that efficiently excites stable and pronounced vibrations in a non-metallic plate. With our method, piezoelectric actuators are integrated into a multi-layered composite structure consisting of a piezoelectric plate, brass sheets, and a stainless-steel plate to generate a push-pull driving force. This piezoelectric actuator was connected to the non-metallic plate near the two edges, creating a stable and uniform boundary deformation that successfully activated the vibration mode. The piezoelectric actuators were made of PZT sheets attached to brass sheets, and where the brass sheets were designed to be connected to the non-metallic plate. An offset support was designed at the bottom side of the non-metallic plate on each side. This design enhanced the energy transmission, improved actuation efficiency, and ensured stable excitation of the desired vibration mode. The excitation method was verified by using finite element simulations and compared with the Ritz theory, showing discrepancies of less than 5%. The results indicate that the maximum vibration amplitude at the plate center in mode 60 could reach up to 7 μm and the mode 70 could reach up to 4.5 μm. Further comparison between FEM results and the measured structural response revealed errors within 3%, confirming the accuracy and reliability of our proposed model. Finally, experimental tests were conducted to demonstrate further the feasibility and performance of this boundary-driven actuation approach for vibration excitation in large-scale plates.
Event(s)
2nd Multifunctional Materials and Structures, 16 March 2026 - 18 March 2026, Vancouver
Subjects
boundary-driven method
composite actuator
piezoelectric actuator
plate vibration
Publisher
SPIE
Type
conference paper