SMA actuators made from continuously rolled sheets

Abstract:
Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators are an interesting alternative to other actuator materials. An actuator made of Nitinol has, for instance, a 1000 times higher specific working capacity than electromagnetic actuators. Therefore actuators with high displacement forces in small installation spaces especially with no noise emission and no EM-interfering field can be realized with Nitinol. Thus this is the main reason why the industrial and medical applications of Nitinol sheets are increasing. The focus of this work is to point out the advantages of the use of continuously rolled sheet for actuators like industrial applications with high switching speed and lower forces or very high forces in a very compact room. Furthermore this poster shows how the mechanism of the stress or the strain reduction works. It also shows the fact when it is reasonable to use sheets and stack layers to reach a high cycle fatigue and high forces in a small installation space.