Piezo-Hydraulic Hybrid Pump for Flight Control, Phase I

Axis Engineering Technologies proposes a revolutionary new technology that can provide performance levels, in terms of output power, bandwidth and mass, previously unmet in current commercially available actuation platforms. The approach features a new hybrid pump, which is powered by active material stacks, and produces fluidic power to directly power hydraulic actuators. The compact, sealed unit eliminates external hydraulic components, such as accumulators, reservoirs, and, especially, long hydraulic tubing runs. By increasing system efficiency, reducing system mass and exploiting the unique characteristics of active materials, we expect to get a significant performance improvement in representative applications. This is in contrast with many commercially available actuation systems, composed of either traditional hydraulic or electromechanical mechanisms. Each of these systems is limited due to either excessive mass or limited bandwidth, or both. And yet these technologies have been adopted across a wide spectrum of applications, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), high performance fighter aircraft, active automotive suspension systems and mobile robotic systems. Each of these applications would benefit greatly from the introduction of an actuation system that can provide mass-savings and bandwidth improvements, simultaneously.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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