Simulation of contact interaction of piezoelectric engine elements

In the article the results of a new type of piezo-electric step-engine research are presented. The original construct of piezo-electric step-engine is contained in special engineering lever called grab device that can organize back and forward rod’s motion with only one piezo element activity. To choose the effective process of piezo-electric step-engine work the mathematical model was created. This mathematical model describes inner piezo-electric step-engine process with features of contact and electroelastic deformation. Using the ANSYS application package, а finite element model of the piezo-electric step-engine has been developed. This finite element model allows estimate the stress-strain state of structural elements of the piezo-electric stepengine and determine the effective step-by-step operation mode of the piezo-electric step-engine. Using the finite element model, the influence of the piezo-electric step-engine operating mode parameters on the amount of displacement of the rod is studied. According to results of experimental studies, the proposed numerical model allows to simulate the dynamic process of step-operation of a piezo-electric step-engine with an error of no more than 6 %. This finite element model include the external load on piezo-electric step-engine and can be used to design piezo-electric step-engine of various fields of application.