Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.

Tetuo Nomoto

Yukinori Kawamura

Hiroshi Hikita

Nobutaka Machida

Mituharu Nonami

Tatuya Wada

Norikatu Matumoto

Yoshiyuki Ohmura

Pre-loaded piezoelectric actuators provide improved work piece displacement, frequency of repetition, accuracy and repeatability. Actuators may use a coil spring providing a compressive force adequate to substantially fully compress a laminated piezoelectric element on a non-destructive basis. Upon activation, a pre-loaded actuator delivers a full workpiece drive stroke because piezoelectric element axial compression has previously occurred. Pre-loading methods and pre-loading to damp out element oscillation are also disclosed.

Pre-loaded actuator using piezoelectric element

A press is described using piezoelectric actuators to achieve both the hold down of the work piece during the processing operation as well as powering the die used in deforming the work piece. The sub-assembly containing the piezoelectric element is structured to allow convenient removal from the main body of the press thereby facilitating repair operations, as well as coarse and fine adjusting facilities for the position of the piezoelectric element within the actuator assembly.

Press and actuator using piezoelectric element

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Tokyo, Japan

Tetuo Nomoto