Sensors and Actuators A 130–131 (2006) 91–98

The constituent equations of piezoelectric multilayer bending actuators

in closed analytical form and experimental results
Ruediger G. Ballas a,∗ , H.F. Schlaak a , A.J. Schmid b
a Darmstadt University of Technology, Institute for Electromechanical Design, Merckstr. 25, D-64283 Darmstadt, Germany
b Festo AG & Co. KG, Department Technology & Testing, Ruiter Str. 82, D-73734 Esslingen-Berkheim, Germany

Received 27 May 2005; received in revised form 31 October 2005; accepted 22 November 2005
Available online 24 January 2006

Abstract
In this paper, we present for the first time the derivation of the constituent equations for any kind of clamped-free piezoelectric multilayer bending
actuators under different excitation conditions formulated generally for any point over the entire length of the actuator. The constituent equations
are presented by a 4 × 4 matrix M, which combines the extensive parameters mechanical moment M at the end of the bender, force F applied
perpendicularly to the tip of the bender, uniform pressure load p applied over the entire length of the bender and applied electrical voltage U with
the intensive parameters angular deflection α, deflection ξ, volume displacement V and electric charge Q. In order to verify a part of the derived
constituent equations for a clamped-free piezoelectric multilayer bending actuator the bending curvature and force-deflection characteristics of a
realized bending actuator are determined experimentally and compared with analytical calculations.
© 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Piezoelectric bending actuator; Multilayer; Constituent equations; Closed form solution; Energy concept

1. Introduction x over the entire length of the beam actuator yet. But just this
aspect adds important insights into piezoelectric design.
The static constituent equations for a cantilever structure con- In this paper the neutral axis, the internal piezoelectric
taining two layers, one consisting of a piezoelectric and the moments and their influences on the bending behaviour of the
second of an elastic material, were described by Smits and neutral axis are taken into consideration. In combination with
Choi [1]. Wang and Cross [2] presented the constitutive equa- the piezoelectric constitutive equations for the electric displace-
tions of symmetrical triple layer piezoelectric benders consisting ment and mechanical strain of the ith layer its total energy density
of two piezoelectric top and bottom layers sandwiched by a wtot can be formulated. The total stored energy Wtot of the piezo-
non-piezoelectric elastic central layer. DeVoe and Pisano [3] electric multilayer actuator is calculated by volume integration
extended the analysis to a multimorph, a cantilever consisting of each layer and following summation with respect to the num-
of several layers of dielectric, piezoelectric and elastic materials. bers of layers.
Weinberg [4] presented a new analytical solution for piezoelec- Based on the energy concept that has not been used for
tric bending actuators taking the neutral axis into account which multilayer bending actuators up till now, the use of the theo-
is referred to as the line where the bending strains are zero. rem of minimum total potential energy Π is the origin for the
Within this analytical concept the dependence of the intensive calculation of the matrix elements of the 4 × 4 matrix. In combi-
on the extensive parameters has only been derived for the tip nation with the Rayleigh–Ritz method evaluation functions for
position of piezoelectric bending beam structures. The matrix the deflection ξ and the generated charge Q for each extensive
elements combining the intensive and extensive parameters have parameter are defined. With respect to the kinematic boundary
not been formulated in a closed form as a function of any point conditions of the piezoelectric cantilever and applying the theo-
rem of minimum total potential energy the evaluation functions
are determined and the matrix elements can be formulated in a
∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +49 6151 16 3296; fax: +49 6151 16 4096. closed form as a function of any point x over the entire length
E-mail address: [email protected] (R.G. Ballas). of the beam actuator.

0924-4247/$ – see front matter © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.sna.2005.11.034
92 R.G. Ballas et al. / Sensors and Actuators A 130–131 (2006) 91–98

Fig. 2. Definition of the main inertia axis position of a multilayer bending actu-
ator.

from the main inertia axis. Considering a beam of n-layers

(see Fig. 2) being not influenced by external axial forces in
Fig. 1. Nomenclature for the extensive and intensive parameters of a clamped-
free piezoelectric multilayer bending actuator.
x-direction and applying Hooke’s law, the stress T1,i in x-
direction for the ith layer of the n-layer segment can be described
by
2. Assumptions and conventions
zκ0
T1,i (z) = − , (2)
The geometry of the piezoelectric multimorph including the s11,i
intensive and extensive parameters is shown in Fig. 1. where s11,i denotes the compliance of the ith layer.
The following assumptions are made: After bending the n-layer segment by an external moment M
each beam element is in static equilibrium resulting in a zero
(a) Each layer consists of either piezoelectric or elastic material. force in x-direction:
(b) The interfaces between layers are continuous and do not slip


n
with respect to each other. F1,i = 0 (3)
(c) The radius of curvature induced by the extensive parameters i=1
is much larger than the beam thickness (z-direction).
(d) The beam width (y-direction) is much wider than the thick- Substitution of (2) in (3) leads to:
ness, so the beam can be considered in plain strain.

n  hi,o
wi
z dz = 0. (4)
s11,i hi,u
Before deriving the constituent equations for piezoelectric i=1
multilayer bending actuators following conventions concerning Here hi,u denotes the lower distance and hi,o the upper distance
the crystal axes of the piezoelectric layers are made: the pola- of the layer i from the main inertia axis. wi denotes the width of
rization vector P defines the 3- or z-direction and the 1- and the ith layer. According to Fig. 2 we get:
2-directions (x- and y-directions) are mutually perpendicular to
the 3-direction. Applying an external voltage U results in an

i
hi,u = z̄ − hj (5)
electric field E3,i in each layer i. If E3,i is antiparallel (parallel)
j=1
to the polarization of the piezoelectric element, the material will
expand (contract) in the plane perpendicular to E3,i and con- and
tract (expand) in the direction of E3,i if d31,i < 0 and d33,i > 0


i−1
that is commonly the case. By implementation of an elastic hi,o = z̄ − hj (6)
and passive layer (e.g. layer 1) the beam will bend downwards j=1
(upwards) caused by the motional restriction inbetween each
layer. Substituting (5) and (6) into (4) and following integration
leads to the distance z̄ of the main inertia axis from the lower
3. Theoretical analysis edge of the bending actuator:
n wi 2 n wi i
i=1 s11,i hi − 2 i=1 s11,i hi j=1 hj
3.1. Main inertia axis z̄ = −  (7)
2 ni=1 sw i
11,i
hi
Using the Benoulli hypothesis the strain S1 of a plain beam This is the base for the further analytical description.
in x-direction can be described by following equation [5]:

S1 (z) = ε0 − zκ0 , (1) 3.2. Mechanical and piezoelectric moments

where ε0 denotes the strain of the neutral axis, κ0 denotes The constitutive equations of the piezoelectric effect depen-
the curvature, i.e. the bending radius and z is the distance dent on the state variables (T1 , E3 ) can be reduced from the
 R.G. Ballas et al. / Sensors and Actuators A 130–131 (2006) 91–98 93

tensor form applying Voigt’s notation [6]: piezoelectric bending actuator:

D3 = εT33 E3 + d31 T1 
(8) 1

n l
Wtot = 2
εT33,i wi hi E3,i dx
S1 = d31 E3 + s11
E
T1 , (9) 2 0
i=1
  l
1

n
where s11E and εT are the compliance at constant electric field l wi h i 2 M2 MMPiezo
33 − 2
d31,i E3,i dx + +
and the permittivity at constant stress. Substitution of (1) in (9) 2 0
E
s11,i 0 2C C
i=1
with respect to no acting external axial forces yields the stress 
T1,i for the ith layer: 2
MPiezo
+ dx (18)
1 2C
T1,i = [−zκ − d31,i E3,i ]
0
(10)
s11,i
The resulting bending moment M can be calculated according
to 3.4. Calculation of the matrix elements

n  hi,o
With the knowledge of the total stored energy in the piezo-
M= wi T1,i z dz. (11)
hi,u
electric beam bender we are able to calculate the matrix elements
i=1
of the 4 × 4 matrix as it is shown in Eq. (19):
Substitution of (10) in (11) and following integration yields ⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤⎡ ⎤
α(x) m11 (x) m12 (x) m13 (x) m14 (x) M
M = −Cκ − MPiezo ,
0
(12) ⎢ ξ(x) ⎥ ⎢ m (x) m (x) m (x) m24 (x) ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ 21 22 23 ⎥⎢ F ⎥
⎢ ⎥=⎢ ⎥⎢ ⎥
where ⎣ V (x) ⎦ ⎣ m31 (x) m32 (x) m33 (x) m34 (x) ⎦ ⎣ p ⎦
Q(x) m41 (x) m42 (x) m43 (x) m44 (x) U
1
wi 3
n
  
C= E
(hi,o − h3i,u ) (13) ≡M
3 s11,i
i=1 (19)
and For the calculation we use the theorem of minimum total
1
wi
n potential energy Π, which expresses that a system will be in a
MPiezo = E
d31,i E3,i (h2i,o − h2i,u ). (14) state of equilibrium if the variation of the total potential energy
2 s
i=1 11,i vanishes that is equivalent to the stationarity of Π:
From (12) the bending κ0 of the neutral axis can be calculated
Π = Wtot − Wa ⇒ Minimum (20)
dependent on an external moment M and an internal piezoelectric
moment MPiezo :
Wa is the so called final value work done by the extensive param-
M + MPiezo eters. Substitution of (18) in (20) yields
κ =−
0
(15)
C

1

n l
Eq. (15) will be used for calculating the total stored energy Wtot Π= 2
εT33,i wi hi E3,i dx
in the n-layer piezoelectric bending actuator. 2 0
i=1
  l
1

n
3.3. Energy density and total stored energy
l wi h i 2 M2 MMPiezo
− E
2
d31,i E3,i dx + +
2 0 s11,i 0 2C C
i=1
In thermodynamic equilibrium, the internal energy density 
of an infinitesimal small volume element of the ith piezoelectric 2
MPiezo
layer is given by + dx − Wa . (21)
2C
1 1
wi = E3,i D3,i + T1,i S1,i . (16)
2 2 In combination with the Rayleigh–Ritz method we define an
Substituting of (8) and (9) into (16) leads to evaluation function for the deflection ξ in the following form:
1 T 1 E 2
wi = ε E2 + d31,i E3,i T1,i + s11,i T1,i . (17)

k
2 33,i 3,i 2 ξ(x) = aj x j (22)
Integration of (17) over the width wi and the lower and upper j=2
distance of the layer i from the main inertia axis followed by the
summation with respect of n-layers of the bender, substituting The goal is to find a function ξ(x) that minimizes the integrals
the stress by (10) and following substitution of the bending κ0 in Eq. (21), in other words we have to find the unknown coef-
(see Eq. (15)) yields the total stored energy Wtot in the n-layer ficients aj of the minimizing function ξ(x) by using following
94 R.G. Ballas et al. / Sensors and Actuators A 130–131 (2006) 91–98

condition: Integration of (30) with respect to x and the constant width

w yields the volume displacement V:
∂Π
= 0, j∈N (23)
∂aj wl3  x 3 mPiezo wl3  x 3
V (x) = M +U (32)
6C  l   6C  l 
3.4.1. Beam subjected to an external static moment m31 (x) m34 (x)
The multilayer beam bender is subjected to an external static
So, the matrix elements m11 , m14 , m21 , m24 , m31 and m34 of
moment M at the tip (see Fig. 1). With the differential equation
the matrix M are defined as functions of x.
for an Euler-Bernoulli-Beam

∂2 ξ 3.4.2. Beam subjected to an external static force

M = −C (24)
∂x2 If the multilayer beam actuator is subjected to an external
static force F perpendicularly to the tip, the stationarity condition
the substitution of (24) in (21) and partial derivation (stationarity (23) can be formulated with respect to the coefficients ai with
condition) with respect to the coefficients ai with j ≤ i ≤ k leads j ≤ i ≤ k as
to
 l  2   2   
 l  2   2   ∂ ∂ ξ ∂ ξ ∂ξ 
C − MPiezo dx − F = 0.
∂ai x=l
∂ ∂ ξ ∂ ξ
C − MPiezo dx 0 ∂ai ∂x2 ∂x2
0 ∂ai ∂x2 ∂x2 (33)
 
∂ ∂ξ 
−M = 0. (25)
∂ai ∂x x=l
Substitution of the evaluation function (22) and its derivations
in (33) yields the conditional equation for the coefficients aj :
Calculation of (25) with the evaluation function (22) yields
the conditional equation for the coefficients aj :

k
j(j − 1) Fl MPiezo
(i − 1) aj lj−2 = +i (34)
j+i−3 C C


k
j(j − 1) M MPiezo
j=2
(i − 1) aj lj−2 = + (26)
j+i−3 C C Computation of (34) results in the two coefficients a2 and a3
j=2
with
Computation of (26) results in only one coefficient a2 with  
1 Fl MPiezo
  a2 = + (35)
1 M MPiezo 2 C C
a2 = + . (27)
2 C C and

Substitution of (27) in (22) yields the minimizing function: 1 Fl

a3 = − . (36)
6l C
l 2  x 2 l 2  x 2
ξ(x) = M + MPiezo (28) Substitution of (35) and (36) in (22) in combination with (29)
2C l 2C l yields the minimizing function:
   
x 2  x 3
With the definition (14) and knowing that each layer is driven
l3
by the same voltage we can extract the driving voltage U, so that ξ(x) = F 3 − + Um24 (x) (37)
6C l l
  
MPiezo = UmPiezo . (29) m22 (x)

With this definition we can formulate (28) in the following Derivation with respect to x yields the angular deflection α:
form:      
l2 x x 2
α(x) = F 2 − + Um14 (x) (38)
l 2  x 2 mPiezo l2  x 2 2C l l
ξ(x) = M +U (30)   
2C l   2C  l  m12 (x)
m21 (x) m24 (x)
Integration of Eq. (37) with respect to x and the constant
Derivation with respect to x yields the angular deflection α: width w yields the volume displacement V:
 
l x mPiezo l  x  wl4  x 3  x 4
α(x) = M +U (31) V (x) = F 4 − + Um34 (x) (39)
24C l l
C l   C  l    
m11 (x) m14 (x) m32 (x)
 R.G. Ballas et al. / Sensors and Actuators A 130–131 (2006) 91–98 95

So, the matrix elements m12 , m22 and m32 of the matrix M with
are also defined as functions of x.


n T
ε33,i wi

n 2 w
d31,i i m2Piezo
λ∗Piezo = − E h
+ . (46)
3.4.3. Beam subjected to a uniform pressure load hi s11,i i C
i=1 i=1
Now the multilayer beam actuator is subjected to a uniform
pressure load p applied over the entire length of the bender. The Substitution of the evaluation function:
stationarity condition (23) can be formulated with respect to the

k
coefficients ai with j ≤ i ≤ k as Q(x) = aj x j (47)
 l  2   2    l j=1
∂ ∂ ξ ∂ ξ ∂ξ
2
C 2
− M Piezo dx − pw dx = 0.
0 ∂ai ∂x ∂x 0 ∂ai and its derivations in (45) yields the conditional equation for the
(40) coefficients aj . For the extensive static parameters M, F, p and
U we get:
Substitution of the evaluation function (22) and its derivations
k
j MmPiezo
in (40) yields the conditional equation for the coefficients aj : i aj lj−1 = Uλ∗Piezo − , (48)
j+i−1 C
j=1


k
j(j − 1) pwl2 MPiezo
i(i2 − 1) aj lj−2 = + i(i + 1) (41)
k
j+i−3 C C j 1 FmPiezo l
j=2 i aj lj−1 = Uλ∗Piezo + , (49)
j+i−1 (i + 1) C
j=1
Calculation of the coefficients and substitution in (22) yields
the minimizing function:
  x 3  x 4 

wl4  x 2
k
j 1 pwmPiezo l2
ξ(x) = p 6 −4 + + Um24 (x) (42) i aj lj−1 = Uλ∗Piezo + .
24C l l l j+i−1 (i + 1)(i + 2) C
   j=1
m23 (x)
(50)

Derivation with respect to x yields the angular deflection α:

    x 2  x 3  Calculation of the coefficients and substitution in (47) yields
wl3 x the following minimizing functions:
α(x) = p 3 −3 +4 + Um14 (x) (43)
6C l l l
   mPiezo l  x 
m13 (x) Q(x) = −M
 C  l 
Integration of Eq. (42) with respect to x and the constant m41 (x)
width w yields the volume displacement V:    

m2Piezo  x 
n 2
   wi l d31,i
w2 l5 x 3  x 4  x 5  +U εT33,i − E
+ l (51)
V (x) = F 10 −5 + + Um34 (x) hi s11,i C l
i=1
120C l l l   
   m44 (x)
m33 (x)
(44)
     
mPiezo l2 x x 2
Q(x) = F 2 − + Um44 (x) (52)
At this point the matrix elements m13 , m23 and m33 of the 2C l l
  
matrix M are also defined as functions of x. m42 (x)

3.4.4. Electric charge generated by the extensive     x 2  x 3 

parameters wmPiezo l3 x
Q(x) = p 3 −3 + + Um44 (x)
To calculate the electric charge Q generated by the extensive 6C l l l
  
parameters, the total potential energy Π must be formulated as a m42 (x)
function of the partial derivation of Q. After some basic algebraic (53)
calculations the stationarity condition (23) can be formulated
with respect to the coefficients ai with j ≤ i ≤ k as
 l      At this point all matrix elements of the 4 × 4 matrix M are
1 ∂ ∂Q ∂Q M formulated as functions of any point x over the entire length
+ mPiezo dx
λ∗Piezo 0 ∂ai ∂x ∂x C of the multilayer beam bending actuator. The analytical closed
 l   form solutions for the elements in summation notation is more
∂ ∂Q
−U dx = 0 (45) amenable to available mathematical tools often used in the engi-
0 ∂ai ∂x neering practice.
96 R.G. Ballas et al. / Sensors and Actuators A 130–131 (2006) 91–98

Fig. 3. Structure of the piezoelectric multilayer beam bending actuator used for the experimental investigations.

Fig. 4. Measurement setup for the experimental investigation of the bending curvature and the force-deflection characteristics.

4. Experimental results and analytical calculations 4.1. Bending curvature characteristics

In order to verify a part of the closed form solution of the The bending curvature characteristics are measured
constituent equations of piezoelectric multilayer bending actu- with a high-precision laser system moving along the x-
ators the emphasis is laid on the experimental determination of
the bending curvature and the force-deflection characteristics as
Table 1
a function of the driving voltage U. The experimental results
Geometrical and material parameters of every single layer
are compared to the analytical calculations based on the 4 × 4
matrix M. Layer i
For the experimental investigations a piezoelectric multilayer 1 2 3–7
bending actuator as shown in Fig. 3 is used. Ni-steela Glassfiber compounda PZTa
The bender consists of five piezoelectric PZT-layers which Free length li 19.22 19.22 19.22
are in parallel connected by internal AgPd electrodes. The (×10−3 m)
unidirectional glassfiber compound layer and the Ni-steel Width wi 8.00 8.00 8.00
layer are passive elastic layers. The Ni-layer serves as ther- (×10−3 m)
Thickness hi 100 200 5 × 48
mal compensation towards the glassfiber compound. The geo-
(×10−6 m)
metric and material parameters of each single layer which E
Compliance s11,i 6.369 11.364 14.144
are necessary for the analytical calculations are shown in (×10 −12 2
m /N)
Table 1. Piezoelectric – – −350
In order to determine the bending curvature and the force- coefficient d31,i
deflection characteristics as a function of the driving voltage U (×10−12 m/V)
the measurement setup shown in Fig. 4 is used. a Materials.
 R.G. Ballas et al. / Sensors and Actuators A 130–131 (2006) 91–98 97

5. Conclusion

With the concept of the stored internal energy and using the
theorem of minimum total potential energy we have developed
a general closed form solution of the constituent equations of
piezoelectric multilayer bending actuators. Compared to recent
works the equations can be applied to any kind of clamped-
free piezoelectric multilayer bending beam structure and the
intensive parameters cannot only be evaluated at the tip of
the actuator but also at any point over the entire length of the
beam. The suitability of the constituent equations of piezoelec-
tric multilayer bending actuators has been shown by determining
experimentally the bending curvature and the force-deflection
characteristics of a specially developed piezoelectric multilayer
beam bender.
Fig. 5. Measured and analytically calculated bending curvatures under different
excitation voltages. Acknowledgment

The AUTHORS thank to the Bundesministerium für Bildung

direction after applying a constant driving voltage U to und Forschung BMBF for the financial support by contract no.
the actuator. Fig. 5 shows the measured and analyti- 03N1076A.
cally calculated bending curvatures under different excitation
voltages. References

[1] J. Smits, W.-S. Choi, The constituent equations of piezoelectric hetero-

4.2. Force-deflection characteristics geneous bimorphs, IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelectr. Freq. Control 38
(1991) 256–270.
In order to measure the force-deflection characteristics under [2] Q.-M. Wang, L.E. Cross, Constitutive equations of symmetrical triple
layer piezoelectric benders, IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelectr. Freq. Con-
different voltage excitations several constant driving voltages
trol 46 (1999) 1343–1351.
are applied to the bending actuator. Afterwards a high-accuracy [3] D. DeVoe, A. Pisano, Modeling and optimal design of piezoelec-
force measurement system is acting perpendicularly against the tric cantilever miroactuators, J. Microelectromech. Syst. 6 (1997) 266–
bending direction of the bender’s tip and the tip deflection is 270.
measured by the laser system simultaneously. Fig. 6 shows the [4] M.S. Weinberg, Working equations for piezoelectric actuators and sensors,
J. Microelectromech. Syst. 8 (1999) 529–533.
measured and analytically calculated force-deflection character-
[5] R. Solecki, R.J. Conant, in: R. Solecki (Ed.), Advanced Mechanics of
istics under different excitation voltages. Materials, Oxford University Press, New York, 2003, pp. 470–480 (Chap-
Both measurements show a very good coincidence with the ter 8).
analytical calculations based on the 4 × 4 matrix M. [6] H.F. Tiersten, Linear Piezoelectric Plate Vibrations, Plenum Press, New
York, 1969, pp. 51–53.

Biographies

Ruediger G. Ballas was born in 1971 in Blieskastel, Germany. After finishing

education as an assistant in physics at the Technical School for Natural Sci-
ences Ludwigshafen, Germany, he received the diploma in microsystemtech-
nology in 1999 from the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern,
Germany. From 1999 to 2001 he worked with Tele Quarz in Neckarbischof-
sheim, Germany, where he was head of the group concerning microstructuring
of AT-quartz crystals and development of high-frequency inverted MESA-
quartzes. Since 2001 he is working as a PhD student at Darmstadt University
of Technology in the field of piezoelectric bending multilayer actuators with
integrated sensors for tip deflection measurements. His research fields are
theoretical mechanics and modelling of the static and dynamic behaviour
of piezoelectric bending multilayer actuators. Furthermore, he is actually
involved in modelling of piezoelectric multilayer beam benders within the
framework of electromechanical system theory.

Helmut F. Schlaak was born in 1953 in Berlin, Germany. He received

the diploma in electrical engineering in 1978 and the PhD degree in 1983
from the Technical University Berlin, Germany. His thesis work was ded-
Fig. 6. Measured and analytically calculated force-deflection characteristics icated to integrated optical waveguide modulators. Then he worked with
under different excitation voltages. the Fraunhofer-Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques in Freiburg,
98 R.G. Ballas et al. / Sensors and Actuators A 130–131 (2006) 91–98

Germany, as head of the integrated optics group. From 1986 to 1998 he sertation was based on a model of multilayer bending actuators and on
worked with Siemens in Berlin, Germany, where first he was head of the piezoelectric multilayer actuators with an embedded polymer sensor sys-
Microtechnology Center. Research topics were microsensors, inkjet print tem. From 1988 to 1994 he worked as the head of after sales service at
heads and fiber optic components. Then he was responsible for new relay MTG Munich, Germany. Between 1994 and 1996 he worked as a sales and
technologies with the Electromechanical Components Division of Siemens. marketing manager at PMV, Bad Homburg, Germany. From 1996 to 1999
In 1997 he received the Siemens innovation award for the silicon microrelay. he conducted research in the field of digital wireless radio systems at the
Since 1999 he is full professor at Darmstadt University of Technology and Department of Defence and Civil Systems with Siemens AG and Daimler-
currently head of Institute for Electromechanical Design. His research fields Chrysler Aerospace Unterschleißheim, Germany. In addition, he worked on
are microtechnology, microactuators and microoptics. new piezoelectric micro valve systems between 1998 and 1999 with Fraun-
hofer Institute of Solid Technologies Munich, Germany. From 1999 to 2005
Andreas J. Schmid was born in 1967 in Dietfurt a.d. Altmühl, Germany. he was with Siemens AG and ARGILLON GmbH in Redwitz, Germany,
He received a diploma in telecommunication from the Chamber of Trade where he was responsible for project management of the development of
Munich, Germany, in 1988, a diploma in physics from the Technical Uni- new low voltage multilayer piezoelectric actuators and smart sensor sys-
versity Munich, Germany, in 1999 and a PhD degree in electrical engi- tems. Since 2005 he has been a technical manager at Festo AG & Co. KG
neering in 2005 from the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany. Esslingen Germany. Currently his research fields are piezoelectric technolo-
His thesis work dealt with smart actuator and sensor systems. His dis- gies.