High Strain Actuators and Sensors

Electro-Active Polymers (EAPs) have received quite a bit of attention over the past decade. Many corporations are designing products using EAP’s rather than using bulky, inefficient motors or electro-mechanical devices. Industry analysts project the market for EAP’s will grow from $15 million in 2007 to $250 million in 2012. The expected surge in growth will come from the lucrative medical device market, robotics equipment for manufacturing, and the toy industry. A number of competitive EAP materials have appeared in the marketplace over the past decade. While suitable for certain industrial applications, none of the existing materials have the technical capabilities to perform well in precision medical devices or other advanced applications. Existing technologies are either too soft or lack the desired combination of flexibility and force. More importantly, they do not provide the precision movement needed for products like catheters or laparoscopic surgical tools. SPS’ patented EAP technology offers the extended force and strain capabilities needed to satisfy these rigorous requirements.

 

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SPS Electro-Active Polymer Actuator Materials Advantages

  • Large discplacements - 100x piezoceramics
  • High force - 100x elastomers
  • Lower Operating Voltages
  • Films down to 3 microns thick
  • >2.5% strain at 100 volts/micron
  • Very low transverse strain

EAP Films and Custom Actuators

SPS is currently offering both EAP films and custom, multilayer actuators.  Films are available in standard sizes or to customer request.  SPS offers custom EAP actuators build to customer specifications.  

In addition to materials and actuators sales, SPS is working with and actively seeking partners to develop EAP actuators applications utilizing the extended properties of the SPS EAP films.

EAP actuators have a very broad application space.  Please contact and SPS engineer to discuss your challenges and requirements.  

  • Bio-Mimetic Designs
  • Minimally Invasive Surgical Tools
  • Personal Electronics
  • Robotics
  • Deformable Mirrors

SPS EAP Materials in Action