AN INVESTIGATION OF MATERIALS AND AUTOMATED PRODUCTION METHODS FOR SMART STRUCTURES

MANY POTENTIAL SPACE SYSTEMS WILL REQUIRE STRUCTURES CAPABLE OF MAINTAINING EXTREMELY TIGHT TOLERANCES ON DIMENSIONS AND VIBRATIONS. ONE APPROACH TO ACHIEVING THE NECESSARY TOLERANCES IS TO EMPLOY TRUSSES MADE USING SMART STRUCTURES. A SMART STRUCTURE IS ONE IN WHICH THE CONTROL, SENSING AND ACTUATION FUNCTIONS ARE INTEGRATED INTO THE MATERIAL WHICH MAKES UP THE INDIVIDUAL TRUSS ELEMENTS. PROPERLY SEQUENCED FORCES ARE APPLIED TO THE BEAMS USING PIEZOELECTRIC CRYSTALS WHICH CHANGE SIZE IN RESPONSE TO APPLIED ELECTRIC FIELDS. VERY LITTLE WORK HAS BEEN DONE TO INVESTIGATE MATERIAL OPTIONS AND PRODUCTION METHODS FOR SMART STRUCTURES. ACT PROPOSES TO INVESTIGATE THESE ALTERNATIVES, AND TO DEVELOP OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE OPTIMUM COMBINATION OF MATERIALS AND PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY NEEDED TO PRODUCE SMART BEAMS.