Study of piezoelectric fiber composite actuators applied in the flapping wing

Piezoelectric fiber composites are a new kind of smart materials appropriate for making actuators. In this paper, FEM was employed to study actuating properties of the composite numerically. Then the optimization was presented. Due to the advantage from the IDEs (Interdigitated Electrode), the composite output lager induced displacements and has anisotropic properties obviously. In addition, the application of piezoelectric fiber composite actuators in the flapping wing for the design of the bionic wing was explored. Firstly, the scale effect and unsteady aerodynamic force of the flapping wing structure designed is analyzed and calculated. Then a set of velocity and acceleration equations for this flapping wing were derived. Finally the piezoelectric fiber composite actuators were integrated with the flapping wing for experimental research. Experimental results show this kind of actuator can improve the aerodynamic properties of the flapping wing obviously, which realized the first step of the active control for this bionic wing.