2.90s

 

Prof. Martin L. Culpepper
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA 02139

Phone: 617.452.2395
Fax: 617.812.0384

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2.72:
Elements of Mechanical Design
2.76:
Multi-scale System Design and Mfg.
2.75s:
Precision Engineering
2.90s:
Compliant Mechanisms
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Design of Flexures and Compliant Mechanisms:
Fundamentals and practical application

A 2008 MIT Summer Professional Program joint offering from:

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Brigham Young University
• University of Michigan
- Precision Compliant Systems Laboratory
- Center for Excellence in Compliant Mechanisms
- Compliant Systems Design Laboratory

+ Download the 2008 2.90s course brochure

+ See also the MIT Professional Institute 2.90s web site

Location:
 MIT campus; Cambridge, MA
Dates:
 July 10-11, 2008
Tuition:

$1, 500 | 1.5 CEUs

- Save $500 - Add 1. Precision Engineering: Theory, Concepts and Principles
or
- Save $750 - Add 1. Precision Engineering: Theory, Concepts & Principles + 2. Precision Engineering: Design & Practice
Registration:
 Online registration is open. Early registration deadline is June 10th, 2008. Contact culpepper@mit.edu (617 452 2395) to register after this date.
ILP members:
 Employees of companies with membership in the MIT Industrial Liaison Program may be eligible for special tuition rates, please contact the MIT Professional Institute to inquire.

Intensive coverage of compliant mechanism theory, modeling, design and fabrication practices. Emphasis is placed on understanding principles and best practices. The fundamentals are reinforced via discussion of examples from:

  • Precision mechanisms   • Micro-optical scanners   • Robotics   • MEMS and NEMS  
  • Low-cost mechanisms (consumer products)  • Deployable mechanisms   • Biomimetic syste   • Adaptive structures  

A compliant mechanism is:
A mechanical device that is comprised of rigid and flexural machine elements. They utilize the elastic flexure of their compliant elements, and the guiding constraint of their rigid elements, to follow complex multi-axis motion paths. They have unique advantages over conventional rigid mechanisms:
  (a) FABRICATION: Enable monolithic designs that do not require assembly
  (b) RELIABILITY: Reduced wear and friction/hysteresis
  (c) RESOLUTION: Enable sub-nanometer repeatability

This course was designed to:
Provide an introduction to the principles and practices that participants can use to solve mechanical design problems with compliant mechanisms. After this class, participants should be able to synthesize a flexure or compliant mechanism design, model its performance and set specifications (material, dimensions, tolerances, etc..).

Learning objectives:
    1. Examine the suitability of compliant mechanisms for specific applications.
    2. Understand the various quantitative and qualitative approaches to synthesis and modeling of compliant mechanisms.
    3. Understand the metrics that are used to determine the performance of compliant mechanisms.
    4. Understand the physics that govern the behavior of compliant mechanisms.
    5. Identify the practical issues that are important to address during integration/implementation.
    6. Construct a compliant mechanism prototype and examine its performance via a hands-on design project.

Topics to review: (Feel free to contact Prof. Culpepper for review materials)
 - Trigonometry (sine, cosine, etc...)                - Linear elastic stress-strain                - Free body diagrams                 - Vector addition

Program
This is a draft schedule and subject to minor changes

Instructors:

This course is taught by a staff of recognized experts in the synthesis, modeling, fabrication and implementation of flexures and compliant mechanisms:

Martin Culpepper Program contact: [culpepper@mit.edu]
Prof. Culpepper is Director of the MIT Precision Compliant Systems Laboratory. Prof. Culpepper's areas of expertise include:
 - Fabrication/integration of flexure-based meso-, micro- and nano-scale nanopositioners
 - Constraint-based synthesis of precision flexures
 - Carbon nanotube-based compliant mechanisms



Larry Howell
Prof. Howell is the director of the Compliant Mechanisms Research Group (CMR) and author of the book Compliant Mechanisms.  Prof. Howell's areas of expertise include:
 - Pseudo-rigid body modeling and synthesis of compliant mechanisms
 - Implementation of compliant mechanisms for consumer products
 - Microelectromechanical Systems


Sridhar Kota
Prof. Kota is Director of the Compliant Systems Design Laboratory at the University of Michigan. Prof. Kota’s areas of expertise include:
 - Topological synthesis of compliant mechanisms
 - Biomimetic compliant mechanisms
 - Adaptive structures

Examples of compliant mechanisms

Compliant airfoil Six-axis MEMS Nanopositioner MEMS bistable mechanism
Compliant floating opposing arm clutch Beam steering mechanism Precision fixture/positioner
Nanopositioners Consumer products Gripper

 

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