Geometrical optimization of a hingeless deployment system for an active rotor blade

Deployment systems for the Gurney flap need to sustain large centrifugal loads and vibrations while maintaining precisely the displacement under aerodynamic loading. Designing such a mechanism relies on both the actuation technology and the link that transmits motion to the control surface. Flexible beams and piezoelectric patch actuators have been chosen as components to design this mechanism. Flexible beams provide a hingeless robust structure onto which the piezoelectric actuators are bonded. A candidate topology is determined by investigating the compliance of a simple wire structure with beam elements. A parameterized finite element model is then built and optimized for displacement and force through surrogate optimization.