Abstract
This paper presents a novel compliant XY positioner inspired by the Rana macrodactyla, incorporating a new hybrid displacement amplifier. The positioner was developed to achieve good performance characteristics, including an appropriate resonant frequency, a suitable displacement amplification ratio, effective linear motion, and a compact design enabled by its symmetric structure. The positioner was constructed based on a novel hybrid displacement amplifier that integrated a lever displacement amplifier with a double-rocker mechanism employing circular joints. It also incorporated a parallel guidance mechanism with compliant rectangular joints. In addition, an integration approach of the pseudo-rigid-body method and Lagrange principle, and finite element analysis (FEA) was employed to promptly analyze the static-dynamic attributes of the proposed mechanism. The difference between the theoretical and simulated outcomes showed a 2.2% error, which was minimal and reliable for speedily analyzing the suggested positioner’s output characteristics. Secondly, the developed positioner’s key design variables were optimized using the Firefly optimization algorithm based on analytical equations to improve the output characteristics of the platform. The optimized model of the platform was manufactured using the CNC wire-cut electric discharge machining technique. The experimental and simulated frequencies were 188.4 Hz and 204.6 Hz, respectively, resulting in an 8.6% discrepancy between the two approaches. Furthermore, the experimental validation verifies the suggested positioner’s potential use in nanoindentation systems and validates a linear input–output displacement response. The proposed mechanism demonstrates significant potential for precision positioning in micro-nano engineering systems.