| Abstract: | Prestrained shape memory alloys change their length when heated above their transformation temperature. This effect can be used to generate high forces in a small workspace, which has particular advantages in actuator design. The optimization and control of the shape memory actuator requires a comprehensive simulation of the material behavior. However, many of the existing models are limited to specific load cases or offer rough approximations only. A material model for shape memory alloys from Seelecke 1] is examined in this paper. This model describes the behavior of a shape memory wire, which is heated by electric current. It is implemented in a simulation program to investigate the actuator output and to improve the performance. Finally, the parameters of the simulation are adapted to experimental results. |
