Tunable Piezoelectric Transducers via Custom 3D Printing: Conceptualization, Creation, and Customer Discovery of Acoustic Applications

dc.contributor.authorLoPinto, Dominic Edwarden
dc.contributor.committeechairLeonessa, Alexanderen
dc.contributor.committeechairZheng, Xiaoyuen
dc.contributor.committeememberShahab, Shimaen
dc.contributor.committeememberVlaisavljevich, Elien
dc.contributor.departmentMechanical Engineeringen
dc.date.accessioned2022-11-25T07:00:21Zen
dc.date.available2022-11-25T07:00:21Zen
dc.date.issued2021-06-02en
dc.description.abstractIn an increasingly data-driven society, sensors and actuators are the bridge between the physical world and the world of "data." Electroacoustic transducers convert acoustic energy into electrical energy (or vice versa), so it can be interpreted as data. Piezoelectric materials are often used for transducer manufacturing, and recent advancements in additive manufacturing have enabled this material to take on complex geometric forms with micro-scale features. This work advances the additive manufacturing of piezoelectric materials by developing a model for predictive success of complex 3D printed geometries in Mask Image Projection-Stereolithography (MIP-SL) by accounting for mechanical wear on Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). This work proposes a framework for the rapid manufacture of 3D printed transducers, adaptable to a multitude of transducer element forms. Using the print model and transducer framework, latticed hydrophone elements are designed and tested, showing evidence of selectively tunable sensitivity, resonance, and directivity pattern. These technology advancements are extended to enable a workflow for users to input polar coordinates and receive an acoustic element of a continuously tuned directivity pattern. Investigation into customer problem spaces via tech-push methods are adapted from the NSF's Lean Launchpad to reveal insight to the problems faced in hydrophone applications and other neighboring problem spaces.en
dc.description.abstractgeneralIn an increasingly data-driven world, sensors are the bridge between the physical world and the world of "data." The better the sensor; the better the data. Electroacoustic transducers are sensors that convert acoustic sound energy into electrical energy or vice versa. These are observed in the world around us as microphones, speakers, ultrasound devices, and more. In the early 1900's, piezoelectric materials became one of the dominant methods for transducer creation, and recent advancements in additive manufacturing have enabled this material to take on highly complex geometric forms with micro-scale feature sizes. Further advancements to additive manufacturing of piezoelectric materials are contributed through development of a model for predicting the success of complex 3D printed geometries in an Mask Image Projection-Stereolithography (MIP-SL) by accounting for mechanical wear on the Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) print window. This work proposes a framework for the rapid manufacture of 3D printed transducers, adaptable to a multitude of element forms. Using the developed print model and transducer framework, latticed hydrophone elements are designed and tested, showing evidence of selectively tunable sensitivity, resonance and beampattern. The advancements in technology are extended to enable a workflow for users to input polar coordinates and receive an acoustic element of continuously tuned beampattern. Investigation into customer problem spaces via tech-push methods are adapted from NSF's Lean Launchpad and reveals great insight to the problems faced in hydrophone applications and other neighboring industry spaces.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.mediumETDen
dc.identifier.othervt_gsexam:31153en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/112694en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectpiezoelectricsen
dc.subjecttransduceren
dc.subjectmetamaterialsen
dc.subjectbeam patternen
dc.subjectstereolithography architected latticeen
dc.subjectcustomer discoveryen
dc.titleTunable Piezoelectric Transducers via Custom 3D Printing: Conceptualization, Creation, and Customer Discovery of Acoustic Applicationsen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineMechanical Engineeringen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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