This research award provides funding for the development of a set of tools for designing high precision flexure mechanisms. Flexure mechanisms are the central part of numerous precision machinery that are used in a wide range of science and engineering applications. Since the current approaches are inadequate for designing these kinds of machines, this project aims to develop kinematic and mechanism theories and computational tools that analyze complex flexure mechanisms and synthesize ones for prescribed design requirements. The valuable practical design experience from engineers will be fully exploited via a digital catalogue of commonly used flexure elements, joints and building blocks that will be carefully designed and analyzed. These theories, tools and design catalogue will be integrated into a dedicated computer-aided design program with advanced human-computer-interfaces.
If successful, the new design tools will significantly speed up the design process and shorten the research and development cycle and lead to innovation of many more highly precision devices such as nanopositioners, nanomanipulators, MEMS scanning mirrors. These devices further enable scientists in a wide range of fields such as biology, nanotechnology, astronomy explore the unknown world more efficiently. By bringing the research results into undergraduate and graduate curriculum, we hope to educate the next generation precision engineers with this innovative design tool. To maximize the impact of this research, we will disseminate the research results to industry, academia and general public by (1) distributing flexure design software and the design catalogue, (2) interacting with scientists in national labs, and (3) organizing workshops at national and international conferences. We will also develop a summer camp and interactive virtual reality demonstration programs to outreach k-12, pre-freshman and women students.
