TERFENOL-D Lamination Process Cost Reduction

There are several key components to making efficient high performance TERFENOL-D actuators and sonar projectors. TERFENOL-D being a magnetically driven material requires magnetic materials and circuit design considerations.One of the principle considerations in a TERFENOL-D actuator is the lamination of the drive rod assembly to minimize eddy current generation. It has not been well investigated the performance trade-off between lamination thickness and performance of thetransducer. This study will develop a relationship between lamination thickness and predicted transducer performance. These models will be used to calculate performance trade off studies and cost impacts.Alternative production methods and materials used for the lamination of TERFENOL-D rod assemblies will be investigated to find lamination technologies to increase the electrical isolation between TERFENOL-D laminae. The appropriate material will alsoenhance production processes to further reduce the cost of producing TERFENOL-D drive assemblies.Control of the magnetic flux energy within a magnetostrictive transducer is a critical component in the design of a magnetostrictive actuator. Advanced soft magnetic materials will be evaluated for magnetic material properties and near net shape formingtechniques. These materials can become a notable cost component in the production of a TERFENOL-D actuator. Methods to reduce costs will be evaluated.New TERFENOL-D composite materials currently under development in other programs will be evaluated for applicability to naval sonar and other applications. Composite TERFENOL-D has the potential to produce near net shape TERFENOL-D drivers that can operateat frequencies above 100kHz. These composite TERFENOL-D drivers also have the potential to produce very inexpensive driver assemblies.BENEFITS: The final goal is to decrease the cost of TERFENOL-D transducers by a justifiable reduction in theinter-laminate resistance specifications, use of new TERFENOL-D materials, improved bonding and manufacturing techniques used in production of both TERFENOL-D and soft magnetics and additional research into new and improved Giant MagnetostrictiveTransduction Designs.