Optimization of a completely decoupled flexure-based parallel XY micro-motion stage

This paper presents a completely decoupled XY micro-motion stage which is a compliant parallel mechanism based on flexure hinges and driven by piezoelectric actuators (PZT). Simplified matrix method is employed to derive the compliance model. Then the workspace is analyzed by considering the output reduction of PZT, stress in the flexure hinges and buckling phenomenon. Finally, the stage dimensions are optimized using particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm in order to achieve maximum natural frequencies, and finite element analysis (FEA) is carried out to simulate the performance of the optimized stage. The FEA result indicates that the XY stage has an ideal decoupling property.