Use of Lightweight Piezo-composite Actuators to Suppress the Free Vibration of an Aluminum Beam

A lightweight piezo-composite actuator (LIPCA) is used to suppress the vibration of an aluminum beam. Composed of a piezoelectric layer, a carbon-epoxy layer, and glass-epoxy layers, the LIPCA has better performance and durability than bare piezoelectric ceramics (PZT). This study estimates the actuation performances of a LIPCA in an active vibration control as well as a static actuation test. Experiments are performed on an aluminum beam in a cantilever configuration. The LIPCA, a bare PZT, and a 3GE+PZT actuator are attached to the aluminum beam with adhesive in order to investigate their performance. A comparison of the equivalent actuation moment and the tip deflection of the beam between the LIPCA, the bare PZT, and the 3GE + PZT actuator shows that the LIPCA has a better actuation performance than the bare PZT and the 3GE + PZT actuator. In addition, a digital PID control algorithm is applied to the active vibration control system to show how the LIPCA performs as an actuator in an active vibration suppression system. The results show that the LIPCA can effectively suppress free vibration of the aluminum beam, compared to the bare PZT and the 3GE + PZT actuator. The experiment confirms that the LIPCA can be used as an actuator to suppress vibration of dynamic structures.