Statics Analysis and Optimization Design for a Fixed-Guided Beam Flexure

Abstract

<jats:p>The ratchet mechanism has been used to ensure moving in one direction of rotation, i.e. either clockwise or counterclockwise. This mechanism is designed based on fixed-guided beam flexures to reduce friction and improves accuracy compared to the traditional mechanism. This paper presents a static analysis and parameter optimization for the fixed-guided beam flexures via using the pseudo-rigid-body model and a fmincon algorithm. The Finite Element Method (FEM) of the fixed-guided beam also has been used to verify the maximum stress and the x-direction displacement. Modified pseudorigid-body model (M-PRBM) is also applied to significantly enhance the accuracy of the maximum stress value. The results show that the averaged errors of maximum stress between MPRBM and FEM are 3.48% for aluminum, and less than 10.9% for titanium, carbon steel, and alloy steel. From the obtained results, the MPRBM is good for prototype design and fabrication of the ratchet mechanism in the future. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium provided the original work is properly cited.</jats:p>