Optimization of Butterfly Flexures for Angular Positioning

Abstract

Different types of angular orientation and micro-positioning systems with flexures are used in different areas of precision mechanical engineering. Depend on the design, they can be assembly of different components or monolithic. The lack of friction gives them an advantage when they are used in different systems, where there is no possibility for maintenance or the environment is heavily polluted, but requires high accuracy and minimal deviation of the axis of rotation. This report presents the results of a study of different types of flexures based on the “butterfly” design. Based on the results an improved flexure design is introduced to reduce the deviation of the axis of rotation and to increase the working range of the micro-positioning elastic modulus.