CHAPTER 5

DESIGN OF SMA SPRINGS

5.1 Specification of the SMA sprins
The SMA springs were purchased from DYNALLOY, Inc., USA. The cost of a
set of four SMA springs is s.!",#"". The SMA springs can $e actuated with a
power supp%& of "'() and current range of "'* A The specification of the SMA
tension springs are gi+en $e%ow,
-ire radius ' "..(mm
Mean radius ' * mm
/ree Length ' *( mm
5.! Desin of SMA sprins
The stiffness is found out for $oth the austenite and martensite phase of the
SMA spring $& using the fo%%owing re%ation $& +ar&ing the Young0s modu%us.
1 2 34r
5
6789:5
*
N
where 1' Stiffness of the spring 4N:m6
r' radius of wire 4m6
8' Modu%us of igidit& 4N:m
!
6
' radius of ;oi% 4m6
N' num$er of acti+e coi%s
8 2 4<:!64#=6
'#
-here 8 is the modu%us of igidit& 4N:m!6
is >oisson0s ratio
< is the Young0s Modu%us 4N:m!6
< 2 ?. 8>a for Austenite
2 !? 8>a for Martensite
82 ?.: 3! 4#=".*69
2 !(..? 8>a
Now the stiffness is found for the austenite state
1 2 34"..(5 7!(..?6:457**7#@697#"
*
1 2 *@.!."* N:m.
Simi%ar%& the stiffness SMA spring in the martensite state is #(5#.@5 N:m
5." Desin of canti#e$er %ea& an' a%sor%er &ass
The fo%%owing eAuation gi+es the condition in which the mass of the main
s&stem causes two natura% freAuencies of the com$ined s&stem. 4Den .>.Bartog
#@(?6.
( /
a
)
4
- ( /
a
)
2
(2+)+1 = 0
where C is the target freAuenc& and C
a
is the range with in which the +i$ration must
$e arrested using the stiffness changing propert& of the SMA springs.

a
= ( 20% )
= 150.72 rad/s for f = 24 Hz
= 0.205 or 0.164
The higher +a%ue is ta1en and hence 2 ".!"(.The dimensions of the a%uminium
canti%e+er $eam used is
Length of the canti%e+er $eam ' 5"" mm
Dreadth of the canti%e+er $eam ' *E mm
Thic1ness of the canti%e+er $eam ' 5.( mm
Densit& of a%uminium ' !."" 1g:m
*
Therefore the mass of the canti%e+er $eam 4m6 is
m 2 4".57"."*E7".""5(67!.""
2 ".#E5 1g
An end mass of *"" g at the free end to the $eam. Therefore the mass of the
entire primar& s&stem 4m
#
6 is ".5E5 Fg. Now the +a%ue of a$sor$er mass is found out.
/rom 3E9, the ratio 46 of the a$sor$er mass 4m
!
6 to the s&stem mass 4m
#
6 is gi+en $&
2 m
!
:m
#
46
Using m
#
and 46 ,m
!
is found to $e ".#"! 1g. The +a%ue of the a$sor$er mass
which has $een found is now chec1ed for the assumed target freAuenc& of !5 BG $&
finding the stiffness of the primar& s&stem 416

C 2 41:m
!
6
#:!
where,
C 2 !7*.#57f
f 2 target freAuenc& 4BG6
1 2 stiffness of the primar& s&stem 4N:m6
m
!

2 a$sor$er mass 41g6
The stiffness of the primar& s&stem 416 is found to $e !!.#.?( N:m. Thus the
+a%ue of the stiffness found is $etween the stiffness ranges of the SMA spring.
Therefore the +i$ration of the s&stem can $e contro%%ed within this range of stiffness
offered $& the SMA spring.
(.5 NUM<I;AL TB<O<TI;AL STI//N<SS )ALU<S /O TB< TA8<T<D
AN8< O/ /<HU<N;I<S
The freAuenc& range of !"'!E BG were targeted for acti+e +i$ration contro%
and the corresponding change in stiffness +a%ues which were found out are as
fo%%ows
D& using 46, the stiffness +a%ue for !" BG with a$sor$er mass ".#"! 1g was
found to $e
C 2 41:m
!
6
#:!
!7*.#57!" 2 41:".#6
1 2
Simi%ar%& the stiffness +a%ues for !# to !E BG were found to $e