@article{tamburrano_distaso_plummer_sciatti_de palma_amirante_2021, 
  title={Direct Drive Servovalves Actuated by Amplified Piezo-Stacks: Assessment through a Detailed Numerical Analysis}, 
  volume={10}, 
  DOI={10.3390/act10070156}, 
  abstractNote={<jats:p>This paper presents a feasibility study using commercially available amplified piezo-stacks for the direct actuation of four-way three-position (4/3) direct drive servovalves. The prospect of using amplified piezo-stacks in place of linear force motors is very attractive by virtue of their fast response speed and low weight. Piezo-stacks equipped with mechanical amplification systems can give levels of displacement suitable for this application. A very effective amplification system has recently been produced by some manufacturers and is based on a temperature-independent diamond structure. This paper details simulations of a 4/3 servovalve directly actuated by such a piezoelectric actuator with a diamond structure. To this end, well-established equations, implemented in Simulink by means of the libraries of Simscape Fluids, are used. The proposed architecture shows simplicity of construction; in addition, very good step response speed and frequency response are predicted by the simulations.</jats:p>}, 
  publisher={MDPI AG}, 
  author={Tamburrano, Paolo and Distaso, Elia and Plummer, Andrew R. and Sciatti, Francesco and De Palma, Pietro and Amirante, Riccardo}, 
  year={2021}, 
  month={Jul}
  }