A measurement device for bending shape memory wire (BSW) actuators

The shape memory wires are used as actuators for many applications. The purpose of this paper is to build a measurement device that could calculate the properties of bending shape memory wire actuators to find their activation temperature and generated force. The measurement device is build using the thermosensor and load cell, and it is controlled using LabVIEW. The device can test the bending shape-memory wires for (30,60, and 90 Degree). It is found that the diameter of the wire is the significant parameter that affects the generated force, while the folding angle did not affect the results. The activation temperatures for all wires are determined to be between (50-79 OC). The bending shape memory wire is the potential solution for self-folding robot applications.