Optimal shape and location of piezoelectric materials for topology optimization of flextensional actuators

Piezoelectric actuator has been increasingly used in MEMS system due to its advantage of generality and flexibility. A flextensional actuator consist of a piezoceramic device, which can convert electrical energy into mechanical energy and vice versa, and a flexible mechanical structure, which can convert and amplify the output piezoceramic displacement in the desired direction and magnitude. A recent research in this area is optimizing the topology of the mechanical part while fixing the electrical part. In this research, the location and shape of the piezoelectrical component is optimization as an discrete problem. The mixed optimization problem has been solved by two-layer optimization procedure combined with SLP and GA. Optimal result is presented and discussed.