• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.346-351
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• 2003

In the recent years, as the research and the development of micro and precision machinery become active, the interest of micro actuators using SMA(Shape Memory Alloy) has been increased. The dynamic characteristic analysis of SMA is necessary for actuator application and many common researches report the material characteristics of SMA sufficiently. However, the research on dynamic characteristics is very deficient. In this paper, the helical spring are fabricated with NiTi SMA wire of high resistivity. The force, response speed, temperature, and displacement are measured by digital force gauge, infrared thermometer, and laser displacement sensor so that the dynamic characteristics of this SMT is analyzed. Also, bidirectional actuator was fabricated and experimented for its performance

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.335-336
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• 2010

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 1995.10a
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• pp.1071-1074
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• 1995

This paper proposes two directional bending actator using three link, two shape memory alloys(SMA) of coil-type springs and two guide wires. By the heating of two SMA springs sequentially, the bending and stretching of the actuator is possible. Bending angle, force and repeated bending motion of actuator were measured and characterized. The performance of the actuator has been characterized for the possible application for catheter.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.189-200
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• 2007

As a functional material, shape memory alloy (SMA) has attracted much attention and research effort to explore its unique properties and its applications in the past few decades. Some of its properties, in particular the electrical resistance (ER) based self-sensing property of SMA, have not been fully studied. Electrical resistance of an SMA wire varies during its phase transformation. This variation is an inherent property of the SMA wire, although it is highly nonlinear with hysteresis. The relationship between the displacement and the electrical resistance of an SMA wire is deterministic and repeatable to some degree, therefore enabling the self-sensing ability of the SMA. The potential of this self-sensing ability has not received sufficient exploration so far, and even the previous studies in literature lack generality. This paper concerns the utilization of the self-sensing property of a spring-biased Nickel-Titanium (Nitinol) SMA actuator for two applications: ER feedback position control of an SMA actuator without a position sensor, and estimation of the opening of a SMA actuated valve. The use of the self-sensing property eliminates the need for a position sensor, therefore reducing the cost and size of an SMA actuator assembly. Two experimental apparatuses are fabricated to facilitate the two proposed applications, respectively. Based on open-loop testing results, the curve fitting technique is used to represent the nonlinear relationships between the displacement and the electrical resistance of the two SMA wire actuators. Using the mathematical models of the two SMA actuators, respectively, a proportional plus derivative controller is designed for control of the SMA wire actuator using only electrical resistance feedback. Consequently, the opening of the SMA actuated valve can be estimated without using an extra sensor.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.755-758
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• 1997

In the recent years, as the research and the development of micro and precision machinery become active, the interest of micro actuators using SMA(Shape Memory Alloy) has been increased. The dynamic characteristic analysis of SMA is necessary for actuator application and many common researches report the material characteristics of SMA sufficiently. However, the research of dynamic characteristics is very deficient. In this paper, the helical spring is fabricated with NiTi SMA wire of high resistivity The force, response speed, temperature, and displacement are measured by digital force gauge, infrared thermometer, and laser displacement sensor so that the dynamic characteristics of this SMA actuator is analyzed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.1577-1580
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• 2003

In the recent years, as the research and the development of micro and precision machinery become active, the interest of micro actuators using SMA(Shape Memory Alloy) has been increased. The dynamic characteristic analysis of SMA is necessary for actuator application and many common researches report the material characteristics of SMA sufficiently. However, the research on dynamic characteristics is very deficient. In this paper, the helical spring are fabricated with NiTi SMA wire of high resistivity. The force, response speed, temperature, and displacement are measured by digital force gauge, infrared thermometer, and laser displacement sensor so that the dynamic characteristics of this SMA is analyzed. Also, bidirectional actuator was fabricated and experimented for its performance.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.1301-1307
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• 2011

Electrosurgical knee wand (EKW) is a high-frequency thermocautery instrument and is often used for coagulation, ablation, excision, and extirpation of knee ligaments and tissues. In order to maximize the success rate, ease, and safety of knee surgery using EKW and radiofrequency ablation, it is necessary to ensure that the EKW selectively approaches the lesion with utmost accuracy and safety. The key feature of this instrument is its excellent maneuverability. Hence, the authors constructed a tensile spring model based on a shape memory alloy (SMA), which exhibits the shape memory effect. This model can be used in knee surgery as it is considered the most biocompatible femorotibial surgical actuator. The changes in external temperature with current and the thermoelectric characteristics of the SMA were investigated. The relationship between the restoring force and the typical stroke (TS) in response to the conditions in the SMA tensile spring design were evaluated. In conclusion, as the diameter of the SMA tensile spring decreased, the maximum temperature increased. The strain in the actuator caused a stable and proportional increase in the force and induced current for up to 15s, but this increase became very unstable after 30s. Moreover, the relationship between the current and the TS was more stable than that between the current and the restoring force.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.541-558
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• 2014

This paper proposes a new design of shape memory alloy (SMA) wire actuated gripper for open mode operation. SMA can generate smooth muscle movements during actuation which make them potentially good contenders in designing grippers. The principle of the shape memory alloy gripper is to convert the linear displacement of the SMA wire actuator into the angular displacement of the gripping jaw. Steady state analysis is performed to design the wire diameter of the bias spring for a known SMA wire. The gripper is designed to open about an angle of $22.5^{\circ}$ when actuated using pulsating electric current from a constant current source. The safe operating power range of the gripper is determined and verified theoretically. Experimental evaluation for the uncontrolled gripper showed a rotation of $19.97^{\circ}$. Forced cooling techniques were employed to speed up the cooling process. The gripper is simple and robust in design (single movable jaw), easy to fabricate, low cost, and exhibits wide handling capabilities like longer object handling time and handling wide sizes of objects with minimum utilization of power since power is required only to grasp and release operations.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.723-726
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• 2002

In the recent years, as the research and the development of micro and precision machinery become active, the interest of micro actuators using SMA(Shape Memory Alloy) has been increased. The dynamic characteristic analysis of SMA is necessary for actuator application and many common researches report the material characteristics of SMA sufficiently. However, the research of dynamic characteristics is very deficient. In this paper, the helical spring is fabricated with NiTi SMA wire of high resistivity The farce, response speed, temperature, and displacement are measured by digital force gauge, infrared thermometer, and laser displacement sensor so that the dynamic characteristics of this SMA actuator is analyzed.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.69-75
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• 2012

This paper proposes a biomimetic finger module to be used in a lightweight hand prosthesis. The finger module consists of finger skeleton and an actuator module driven by SMA (Shape Memory Alloy). The prototype finger module can perform flexion and extension motions; finger flexion is driven by a contraction force of SMA, but it is extended by an elastic force of an extension spring inserted into the finger skeleton. The finger motions are controlled by feedback of electric resistance of SMA because the finger module has no sensors to measure length and angle. Total weight of a prototype finger module is 30g. In experiments the finger motions and finger grip force are tested and compared with simulation results when a constant contraction force of SMA is given. The experimental results show that the proposed SMA-driven finger module is feasible to the lightweight hand prosthesis.