Construction and Numerical Realization of a Magnetization Model for a Magnetostrictive Actuator Based on a Free Energy Hysteresis Model

Giant magnetostrictive actuators (GMA) driven by giant magnetostrictive material (GMM) has some advantages such as a large strain, high precision, large driving force, fast response, high reliability, and so on, and it has become the research hotspot in the field of microdrives. Research shows there is a nonlinear, intrinsic relationship between the output signal and the input signal of giant magnetostrictive actuators because of the strong coupling characteristics between the machine, electromagnetic field, and heat. It is very complicated to construct its nonlinear eigenmodel, and it is the basis of the practical process of giant magnetostrictive material to construct its nonlinear eigenmodel. Aiming at the design of giant magnetostrictive actuators, the magnetization model based on a free-energy hysteresis model has been deeply researched, constructed, and put forward by Smith, which combines Helmholtz–Gibbs free energy and statistical distribution theory, to simulate the hysteresis model at medium or high driving strengths. Its main input and output parameters include magnetic field strength, magnetization, and mechanical strain. Then, numerical realization and verification of the magnetization model are done by the Gauss–Legendre integral discretization method. The results show that the magnetization model and its numerical method are correct, and the research results provide a theoretical basis for the engineering application of giant magnetostrictive material and optimized structure of giant magnetostrictive material actuators, which have an important practical application value.