SHAPED MEMORY ALLOY COMPOSITES FOR HIGH FREQUENCY ACTUATORS

SHAPED MEMORY ALLOY (SMA) COMPOSITE MATERIALS ARE PROPOSED WHICH ARE CAPABLE OF EXTREMELY FAST RESPONSE TIMES, CAN BE FORMED INTO SURFACES WHICH WILL EXHIBIT INDEPENDENTLY CONTROL OVER EACH OF THE RADIUS OF CURVATURE OF THE SURFACE, SHOW MORE UNIFORM AUSTENITE-MARTENSITE TRANSFORMATION PROPERTIES, ARE EXPECTED TO EXHIBIT IMPROVED FATIGUE-LIFE PROPERTIES, AND WILL HAVE INCREASED FORCE-DISPLACEMENT PERFORMANCE. HEAD TRANSFER CALCULATIONS FOR SMA ELECTRICAL ACTUATORS ARE PERFORMED, METALLURGICAL CONSIDERATIONS ARE DISCUSSED, PROOF-OF-PRINCIPLE SAMPLES ARE PROPOSED, AND SURFACE APPLICATIONS FOR TORPEDOESARE DISCUSSED. FIGURES SHOW PERFORMANCE DATA, PHOTOMICROGRAPHS OF MATERIAL CROSS-SECTIONS, AND APPLICATION CONFIGURATIONS. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS/POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS OF THE RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT. VERY FAST SMA ELECTRICAL ACTUATORS FOR ROBOTICS, STRUCTURAL DAMPING, LOWER COST AND SMALLER REPLACEMENT FOR MECHANICAL AND HYDRAULIC ACTUATORS, REMOTE FLUID CONTROL DEVICES, OPTICAL DEVICES, OPTICAL DEVICES, AND WEAPON SYSTEM COMPONENTS. IN ADDITION, IMPROVED FATIGUE AND OFRCE-DISPLACMENT PERFORMANCE WILL OPEN NEW MARKETS TO SMA ACTUATORS.