• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.756-763
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• 2008

This paper presents an inchworm with three piezoelectric actuators. The dynamic stiffness of the inchworm is generally low compared to its driving condition, so mechanical vibration may degenerate the motion accuracy of the inchworm. The dynamic model of inchworm is identified by curve fitting technique based on the experimental frequency response function. For the precision motion control and low residual vibration of inchworm, driving input signal is designed by using cycloid step input and LQG control technique. Experimental result shows that proposed input shaping method is applicable effectively to the inchworm.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.44-44
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• 2007

New inchworm type piezoelectric actuator design, which can reduce the number of the piezoelectric body for manufacturing inchworm type actuator, is suggested in this work. Inchworm type actuator consists of three or more piezoelectric bodies, on the other hand the new-designed inchworm type actuator has only one piezoelectric body. The one piezoelectric body that size is $2\;{\times}\;2\;{\times}\;4\;[mm^2]$ (DWL) has 2 clamping part and 1 extending part. The size of the new-designed actuator with one piezoelectric body is $5\;{\times}\;6\;{\times}\;9\;[mm^2]$ (DWL). The new-designed inchworm type actuator performed the operation at a cycle (6 steps) of $0.3{\mu}m$ per $33.3{\mu}s$ and a generated force of 0.6N.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.178-182
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• 2007

Precision stages are essential device for micro machines, fiber optic assembly systems, and biology instruments. In this paper, a precision inchworm type actuator for a linear stage is proposed and evaluated. An analytic method to design an inchworm type motor is proposed. Developed actuator provides fast motion compared with a commercial inchworm actuator, and can be used as an actuator for a stage in substitution for a conventional rotary actuator.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.15 no.7 s.100
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• pp.878-884
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• 2005

This paper presents an algorithm for the precision motion control based on the dynamic characteristics of piezoelectric actuators in the inchworm. The dynamic characteristics are identified by the frequency domain modeling technique using the experimental data. For the motion control, the hysteresis behavior is compensated by the inverse hysteresis model. The dynamic stiffness of an inchworm is generally low compared to its driving condition, so mechanical vibration may degenerate the motion accuracy of the inchworm. The Sliding mode controller and the Kalman filter are designed for motion control of the inch-worm.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.843-848
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• 2000

In general, inchworm actuators are composed of two clamping piezoelectric elements and one expansion piezoelectric element. In this paper, two electromagnetic clampers are used for higher speed and high load. Dynamic equation is derived to simulate the behavior of the inchworm actuator with electromagnets. Electromagnetic clamper is used to improve the performance of the inchworm actuator. The electromagnetic clamper is composed of two permanent magnets and one traditional electromagnet. The permanent magnets play the role of the source of magnetic field to make clamping force higher, and the electromagnet is to change the mode between clamping and free. The driving voltage profile is also analyzed to improve the speed of inchworm actuator. The real system was manufactured and experimented to find dynamic characteristics and the maximum speed is obtained. Dynamic model is verified by comparing with experimental results.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.137-143
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• 2009

This paper presents the fabrication of inchworm motor for high precision actuator system of large displacement and high force. The inchworm motor consists of a extend actuator that provides displacement of tool guide and two clamping actuators which provide the holding force. In order to avoid the PZT fracture, design of pre-load housing was conducted by flexure hinge structure, because PZT actuator has low tensile and shear. To design the pre-load housing and optimize the clamping mechanism, the static and dynamic analysis were conducted by finite element method. From these results, a prototype of the inchworm motor was fabricated and dynamic characteristic with respect to the various frequency was tested. The maximum velocity of the inchworm motor was $41.1{\mu}m/s$ at 16Hz.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.1239-1240
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• 2010

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.174-181
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• 2004

Ultra precision positioning mechanism has widely been used on semiconductor manufacturing equipments, optical spectrum analyzer and cell manipulations. Ultra precision positioning mechanism is consisted of several actuators, sensors, guides and control systems. Its efficiency depends on each performance of components. The object of this study is to design, analysis and manufacture all of the inchworm linear motor system, which is one of the equipments embodied in ultra precision positioning mechanism. Inchworm linear motor system is consisted of a controller system and an inchworm linear motor, and its driving form is similar to a motion of spanworm. A design and manufacture of inchworm linear motor, which is consisted of three PZT actuators, a rod, two columns and a guide plate, are performed. Minimizing the von-Mises stress of the hinge using Taguchi method and simulation by FEM software optimizes the structural design in a column of flexure hinge. The designed columns and guide plates are manufactured by a W-EDM and NC-milling. A controller system, which is an apparatus to drive inchworm linear motor, can easily adjust driving conditions by varying resonance frequency and input-output voltage of actuators and amplifiers. The performance of manufactured inchworm linear motor system is verified and valuated. In the future, inchworm linear motor system will be used to make a more precision positioning by reinforcing a sensor and feedback system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.5
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• pp.1194-1203
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• 2020

Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic utility of the stalk and the inchworm sign on preoperative MRI for detecting superficial bladder cancers, and to compare the diagnostic performance between the stalk and the inchworm sign. Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed 240 patients (505 tumors) who had undergone radical cystectomy. The tumors were classified as follows: superficial or invasive tumors indicated by the stalk or inchworm sign on 3.0 Tesla MRI. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of the stalk and inchworm signs, by comparing each finding with the postoperative pathologic T stage. We compared diagnostic performance between them statistically. Results The stalk and inchworm signs showed high specificity (93% and 91%, respectively), positive predictive values (89% and 90%, respectively), and acceptable accuracy (70% and 74%, respectively), but low sensitivity (54% and 61%, respectively) and negative predictive values (60% and 63%, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference between the two signs (p > 0.05). Conclusion Superficial bladder cancers could be differentiated from invasive tumors using the stalk or inchworm sign on MRI.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.1088-1091
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• 1997

This paper describes the characteristic of hinges on which a lever pivots within a limited angle due to the torque. The hinges are exerted by the thermally expanded actuators connected with a level through hinges. To enhance the stroke of inchworm actuator, FEM(Finite Element Method) was utilized for the characterization in view of stress displacement according to the variation of notch radius and notch width. As a result, notch width of the hinges plays an important part in improvement of micro inchworm actuator.