Rouven Britz

Universität des Saarlandes | UKS · Department of Mechatronics

This work deals with the development of a descriptive and interactive demonstrator platform with a total of four different shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator systems. The motivation for this demonstrator development is to illustrate this new special decoupled antagonist system configuration, its capabilities of fast switching times and the variety i...

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are an attractive technology in actuators and sensors because of their versatile geometry, low weight, high energy density, and low cost. Recent scientific research found that a switchable stiffness of an implant for bone fracture treatment with individual stimulation patterns to be applied to the fracture site may improv...

Inspired by nature, the field of continuum robotics focuses on the research and development of bending and soft robotic structures. Like elephant trunks or tentacles, these robots are not based on discrete joints and rigid connecting structures, but exploit flexible bending motion with a high number of degrees of freedom. Because of a variety of po...

This paper presents a compact rotary motor based on SMA wire bundles. The high energy density of SMA wires enables the realization of high forces with minimal space and weight input and the SMA wire resistance provides sensing information, which can be used for position control. The actuator system operates in a 90° range of motion. The linear forc...

Abstract Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are an attractive technology in actuators and sensors because of their versatile geometry, low weight, high energy density, and low cost. Recent scientific research found that a switchable stiffness of an implant for bone fracture treatment with individual stimulation patterns to be applied to the fracture site m...

Since continuum robots are applicable in many areas, including industry and medicine, research interest in this field is continuously increasing. A crucial aspect to effectively control their complex motion is the type of actuators. Common solutions are characterized by bulky driving units placed at the base of the robot. Although these solutions a...

For repeated actuation in shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators, a restoring force is needed to return to the initial starting position after activation. Therefore, SMA wires are often coupled with mechanical springs, which lengthen said wires again after activation through heating and resulting contraction. In more advanced SMA actuation systems a se...

Today, Nickel-Titanium (NiTi)-based shape memory alloy (SMA) wires are already used in a wide range of commercial actuator applications. The combination of their unique properties, such as their high energy density as well as their biocompatibility provides a broad range of applications. The former in particular allows for designing light-weight ac...

Nickel-Titanium (NiTi) based shape memory alloy (SMA) wires are already often used in industrial actuator applications. Their high energy density allows to build light-weight actuator systems with high forces using small installation spaces. Combined with the biocompatibility of NiTi, a huge field of applications can be covered by SMA actuated syst...

In this paper, the development process of a shape memory alloy (SMA) driven pinch valve is proposed. The features of SMA actuator wires like small installation space, small weight, and the high energy density, allow for designing compact systems with high force outputs. A functional prototype is presented, allowing for closing forces of up to 250 N...

This work presents the development of an innovative shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator principle, which allows high‐speed switching cycles through the decoupling of antagonistically arranged SMA wires. Being optimized for the use at high ambient temperatures up to 65 °C, a possible application area is the active venting of injection molds where it c...

The attractive properties of shape memory alloys (SMA), especially their high energy density, steadily expand the range of applications in which SMA wires represent attractive alternative actuator components. Industrial applications in particular, oftentimes require large forces, which scale with the diameter of SMA actuator wires. The higher the r...

In this paper, a shape memory alloy (SMA) based, multifunctional smart implant for improved bone fracture healing is presented. In contrast to conventionally used medical implants such as intramedullary nails or bone plates supporting a fractured bone in a passive way, the developed smart implant has on the one hand the ability to work as a common...

This paper presents a novel shape memory alloy (SMA) valve actuator concept for active venting in injection molding applications. The developed system can be used to expel air which is trapped during the injection molding process. If such air bubbles are not properly removed from the cavity, they would result into an uncomplete cast and, in turn, i...

Continuum robots are inspired by biological trunks, snakes and tentacles. Unlike conventional robot manipulators, there are no rigid structures or joints. Advantageous is the ease of miniaturization combined with high dexterity, since limiting components such as bearings or gears can be omitted. Most currently used actuation elements in continuum r...

In industrial applications, rotatory motions and torques are often needed. State-of-the-art actuators are based on either combustion engines, electro-motors, hydraulic, or pneumatic machines. The main disadvantages are the construction space, the high weight, and a large amount of needed peripheral devices. To overcome these limitations, compact an...

Commercially available SMA actuated devices usually integrate only a single wire, which dimensions are determined by the force necessary to achieve a desired actuation. Usually, if higher forces are requested, a wire with a bigger diameter is chosen since bigger diameters correspond to higher forces, but, on the other hand, also to a smaller surfac...

Commercially available SMA actuated devices usually integrate only a single SMA wire. The SMA wire's dimensions are determined by the force necessary to achieve a desired actuation. Usually, if higher forces are requested, a wire with a bigger diameter is chosen since bigger diameters correspond to higher forces. On the other hand, the smaller surf...

Rotationsbewegungen und Drehmomente werden heutzutage meist durch Verbrennungsmotoren, Elektromotoren oder hydraulische bzw. pneumatische Maschinen erzeugt. Fordert eine Anwendung hohes Drehmoment auf kleinem Bauraum und gleichzeitig niedriges Gewicht, wird die physikalische Beschreibung der spezifischen Energiedichte, also die Energie pro Raumvolu...

State-of-the-art actuators that produce rotatory motion and torsional moment are based on either combustion engines, electro-motors, hydraulic or pneumatic machines. Each of these actuation methods has several drawbacks. All of these systems often come with high initial costs, big weight and need a lot of construction space because of their dimensi...