Advances in Actuators

Advances in Actuators provides an overview of the historical development of actuator technology, current uses and future applications. Each section has been written by an expert in the field, and examples from recent research and commercial application are included as relevant. It includes case studies for the automotive, electronics and process industries.
For instrumentation engineers, in particular, this book will provide a comprehensive guide to the types of actuators available, their advantages, limitations, and potential future use. It will assist the engineer in selecting the most appropriate actuator technology for their particular industrial application.
* Fluid power actuators, describes actuators which rely on the static pressure of the working fluid to provide the motive force. These sophisticated devices provide a high level of control and their use in car suspension systems is described as a case study.
* Electro-rheological actuators describes the exciting possibility of motors with few or no moving parts, their properties, how they are built, work and their limitations.
* In Smart Power Devices the concept of the smart actuator is introduced - from protected switches to power ICs, the author relates their design and development to customer need and company application.
* The future may see Optical Actuators increasingly used as optical control systems are developed. Key features of this novel technology are given with reports of current applications and future possibilities.
* Miniature Nanoactuators summarizes the vast array of technologies available for measurement in the nano and sub-nanometre range. From fine instrument design, to manipulation of surfaces at the atomic level, this chapter provides an excellent summary of current jargon, and of key characteristics for various types of miniature actuator device, including shape memory alloys.
* Silicon microactuators includes a brief summary of the range of miniature machines now available, the micromachining technology and aspects of materials and examples of representative microactuators.
* Magnetostrictive actuators describes the properties of "terfenol," a new material, and explores the possibilities for using actuators based on such new materials where applications are currently limited.