Numerical analysis of fatigue and frequency response of chevron actuators designed in 6061-T6 aluminum and experimental validation

Due to the high costs of microfabrication, it is crucial to accurately predict the performance of microdevices. Simulations enable their necessary optimization. A novelty of this work, to achieve a closer approximation to actual performance, was the experimental S-N curve of 6061-T6 aluminum. The numerical fatigue tests performed on a scaled chevron actuator help identify critical zones in its beams. The finite number of life cycles is lower when the experimental S-N curve is used. To conduct experimental tests on the actuator’s natural frequencies at the mesoscale, the device was fabricated. The analytical model is based on fitting the conventional modal frequency equation, reducing error compared to numerical analysis. It also shows that errors close to zero correspond to chevrons with 1, 2, 4, 7, and 8 pairs of arms, validating the empirical selection for use. It should be noted that meso‑scale experiments are conducted to observe the mechanical behavior of these structures, which are typically implemented at the micro-scale, where such observations are more difficult, particularly when the response lies outside the XY plane.