Influence mechanism of surface texture on the output performance of an ultrasonic motor

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence mechanism of different interface component surface textures on the ultrasonic motor (USM) output performance. Design/methodology/approach The energy transmission mechanism of the traveling-wave ultrasonic motor 60 (TRUM-60) was numerically and experimentally investigated by fabricating dimple textures with different feature types on the friction material and the stator. Findings Textured friction material can increase the contact range effectively, and thus, can improve the friction characteristics of the interface and the output performance of the TRUM-60. The experimental results verified the expected influence mechanism and demonstrated that the use of either a textured friction material or stator has a very different effect on USM output performance. A textured PI-based friction material improved the TRUM-60 output performance, resulting in a maximum energy conversion efficiency of 57.11%. However, a textured stator degraded the TRUM-60 output performance, resulting in a minimum energy conversion efficiency of only 44.92%. Originality/value The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for improved USM designs with textured interfaces.