Notes
The serpentine beam is composed of two short beam segments folded around in the
shape of a 'S' and connected to either end of the mass. The springs
alternately compress and elongate as the mass moves along the X axis. The
figure shows two such beams attached to the mass. Each of them can be formed
of one or several such units connected in series, but the suspension shown in
the figure has only one unit. The beams are assumed to be identical in design. This is
designed to enable a translatory motion of the suspension in the X axis or in
an in-plane axis. There is however a movement in the Z axis perpendicular to the plane
of the mass.
The mass may have tendency to rotate about the X axis also.
This design interface can be used to determine the natural vibration frequency of the folded beam suspension along the three axes. The torsional mode resonance frequency about the X axis can also be estimated. The order of resonance along these three axes will be determined by the beam and mass design.
The plot shows how the resonant frequency in X, Y and Z axes vary with the length of the smaller arm (lb2) of the serpentine beam while all other design parameters are as given in the design form. The X axis of the plot is lb2 as a percentage of lb1. Using the cross hair the resonance frequency in any of the three axes can be found out. It can be used to design the beam such that the resonant frequency for a particular axis is lesser or greater than the other axis.