Actuators for smart applications

Actuator manufacturers are developing promising technologies which meet high requirements in performance, weight and power consumption. Conventionally, actuators are characterized by their displacement and load performance. This hides the dynamic aspects of those actuation solutions. Work per weight performed by an actuation mechanism and the time needed to develop this mechanical energy are by far more relevant figures. Based on these figures, a selection process was developed. With time and energy constraints, it highlights the most weight efficient actuators. This process has been applied to the Gurney flap technology used as a morphing concept for rotorblades. Three control schemes were considered and simulations were performed to investigate the mechanical work required. It brought forward piezoelectric stack actuators as the most effective solution in the case of an actively controlled rotorblade. The generic nature of the procedure allows to use it for a wide range of applications.