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Voice coil actuators for two MTG instruments
19 June 2023
While Cedrat Technologies has been active in space for more than 20 years with piezoelectric mechanisms, we have also been increasingly involved over the last few years in the development of magnetic actuators for space projects. In this paper, a focus is made on the case of magnetic actuators that are developed in the frame of the Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) project. The first one is the Scan Assembly (SCA) actuated by Rotating Voice Coil Motors (RVCM) for the East/West (E/W) axes and the North/South (N/S) axes developed in collaboration with Sener and the second one is the Voice Coil Motor (VCM) developed in collaboration with CSEM for the Corner Cube Mechanism (CCM)
Zero Boil Off Compressor Based on MICA Actuators
19 June 2023
A reed valve compressor technology for future science spacecraft application, is being developed by CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES
(CTEC), based on the very compact and high-power MICA300CM actuator (Moving Iron Controllable
Actuator). The present publication details the compressor breadboard design and test results, manufactured in the frame
of an ESA Technological Research Program (TRP), for the testing of a Zero Boil Off Hydrogen storage demonstrator.
The test results presented have been realized at compressor level with Helium gas at CTEC facilities, and the full 20K
Hydrogen storage demonstrator is soon to be tested.
Actuator based on the Thomson effect
1 January 2003
Good limitations of the current in a circuit using an electromechanical breaker suppose a very fast opening of the contacts. Due to the fact that the electrodynamic repulsive forces do not generate enough acceleration, an actuator has to be used to improve the breaker performances. Since a traditional reluctant magnetic device is too slow for the application concerned, a propeller based on the Thomson effect has been chosen. FLUX2D simulations make possible a good understanding of the propellerâs operation and thus the improvement of its design.
A new Rotating Voice Coil Motor for Meteosat Third Generation satellites
19 June 2023
In the frame of the Meteosat Third Generation project (MTG), the future European Operational Geostationary Meteorological Satellites system, Cedrat Technologies has developed a dedicated actuator for the Scan Assembly mechanism (SCA) made by SENER. Such motors are needed to actuate the SCA on the north/south (N/S) and east/west (E/W) axes. The requirement of precise pointing of the SCA induces very specific characteristics for the motorisation. The motor needed characteristics are: to be free from any cogging, high constant motor [N.m/vW] to have a constant torque over full stroke range, to have a very low hysteresis and to have redundant coils. To meet these stringent requirements, the choice was made to develop a specific Rotating Voice Coil Motor.
ACTUATOR2008 Moving Iron Controllable Actuators
6 January 2008
To meet the demand of controllable millimeter-stroke actuators, there are two possible starting points. One is to consider improvement of moving coil actuators, the other is to consider improvement of moving iron actuators. Following this approach and using its experience on the different types of magnetic actuators, Cedrat Technologies has developed new specific Moving Iron Controllable Actuators, called MICA. This actuator circumvents previous controllability limitations of standard Moving Iron actuators while keeping their high forces capabilities. Compared with moving coils of the same force, the MICA are twice less in mass while requiring 3 times less electric power. Another significant advantage of the MICA is a much better heat dissipation and reliability as the MICA coil is fixed into the iron stator.
ACTUATOR2008 MRF actuators Abstract
19 June 2023
Short Abstract
The MRF actuators are new electromechanical components using Magneto Rheological Fluids (MRF). When submitted to a high enough magnetic field, MRFs switch from a liquid to an almost solid body. The purpose of the new developed MRF actuators is to reach three aims: to offer a blocking force at rest, which can be strongly reduced by applying a current, to provide an electrically- controllable resistive force over a stroke of 30 mm, to perform the control of the force in a very short time, typically in a few milliseconds.
