Vital components of inflatable antenna structures in light-weight satellites, Kapton© membranes, are prone to wrinkling due to high thermal gradients experienced in space; resulting in a decrease in performance. Simple, robust and compact actuators are required for automated removal of localized wrinkling in these membranes. Leveraging the large force and small displacement of Macro-Fibre Composites (MFCs) by mimicking the mechanics of the ciliary muscle in the human optical system, an actuator was designed and experimentally tested in the control of localized wrinkling of Kapton© in tension. Three configurations were built and tested utilizing M-5887-P1 MFC units. The force-displacement relationships were determined through testing. The control logic and circuit were developed. The actuator proved successful in local membrane wrinkling experiments. It was shown that by leveraging the high force and low displacement of MFCs a reliable actuator can be developed to effectively eliminate localized wrinkles in Kapton© membranes for space applications.
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ASME 2012 Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems
September 19–21, 2012
Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- Aerospace Division
ISBN:
978-0-7918-4510-3
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
A Geometrically Bio-Inspired MFC Actuator for Wrinkle Control of Kapton Membranes
Eric Fleurent-Wilson,
Eric Fleurent-Wilson
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
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Mohammed Ibrahim,
Mohammed Ibrahim
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
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Armaghan Salehian
Armaghan Salehian
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
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Eric Fleurent-Wilson
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Mohammed Ibrahim
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Armaghan Salehian
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Paper No:
SMASIS2012-8235, pp. 707-719; 13 pages
Published Online:
July 24, 2013
Citation
Fleurent-Wilson, E, Ibrahim, M, & Salehian, A. "A Geometrically Bio-Inspired MFC Actuator for Wrinkle Control of Kapton Membranes." Proceedings of the ASME 2012 Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems. Volume 2: Mechanics and Behavior of Active Materials; Integrated System Design and Implementation; Bio-Inspired Materials and Systems; Energy Harvesting. Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA. September 19–21, 2012. pp. 707-719. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/SMASIS2012-8235
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