Analysis of dynamic characteristics for vibration of flexural beam in ultrasonic transport system

An object transport system is an essential device in the factory automation system (FAS). Generally, an object transport system is driven by a conveyor belt system or a magnetic levitation system. However, contact force in the conventional transport system can damage precision optical components, while the magnetic field can destroy the inner structure of the semiconductor. The ultrasonic transport system transports objects on an elastic body using an ultrasonic wave. When an ultrasonic wave is applied to a flexural beam, the flexural beam vibrates to excite the air layer, which lifts up the object on the beam to transport. In this paper, the dynamic characteristics of the ultrasonic transport system are theoretically analyzed. Through normal mode expansion, the modeling equation for steady state response of ultrasonic vibration is expressed and the natural frequency of the flexural beam in each mode is also estimated by using the finite element method (FEM). This paper was recommended for publication in revised form by Associate Editor Eung-Soo Shin Sang-Hwa Jeong received his M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from KAIST, Korea, in 1985 and his Ph.D. degree from North Carolina State University, USA, in 1992. Dr. Jeong is currently a professor at the department of Mechanical Engineering of Chosun University in Gwangju, Korea. His research fields are microactuator design, ultrasonic transport system, and SMA actuator of robot finger.