A 3D-printed polymer micro-gripper with self-defined electrical tracks and thermal actuator

Alblalaihid, Khalid; Overton, James; Lawes, Simon; Kinnell, Peter

doi:10.1088/1361-6439/aa631e

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…In view of a mature integrated circuit, electric-driven 3D microactuators may be employed more widely due to their advantages [52,175]. For example, the sensor signal needs to be changed into an electrical signal to facilitate processing, while electrically driven microactuators enable the actuator and sensor components to be integrated [52,176]. The two large gaps that need to be bridged for practical electrical-driven 3D microactuators are materials and manufacturing strategies [177][178][179].…”

Section: Prospective Actuation Methods For 3d Microactuatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tethered and Untethered 3D Microactuators Fabricated by Two-Photon Polymerization: A Review

et al. 2021

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Microactuators, which can transform external stimuli into mechanical motion at microscale, have attracted extensive attention because they can be used to construct microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and/or microrobots, resulting in extensive applications in a large number of fields such as noninvasive surgery, targeted delivery, and biomedical machines. In contrast to classical 2D MEMS devices, 3D microactuators provide a new platform for the research of stimuli-responsive functional devices. However, traditional planar processing techniques based on photolithography are inadequate in the construction of 3D microstructures. To solve this issue, researchers have proposed many strategies, among which 3D laser printing is becoming a prospective technique to create smart devices at the microscale because of its versatility, adjustability, and flexibility. Here, we review the recent progress in stimulus-responsive 3D microactuators fabricated with 3D laser printing depending on different stimuli. Then, an outlook of the design, fabrication, control, and applications of 3D laser-printed microactuators is propounded with the goal of providing a reference for related research.

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Section: Prospective Actuation Methods For 3d Microactuatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tethered and Untethered 3D Microactuators Fabricated by Two-Photon Polymerization: A Review

et al. 2021

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“…The nominal diameter of the micro-gripper tip was 300 μm, while the effective force could reach values of between 0.01 and 0.04 N and the tip displacement varied between 20 and 80 μm, respectively. Alblalaihid et al [ 88 ] demonstrated the application of a sputter-coating process for the deposition of metallic layers on polymer components and validated their approach for the fabrication of a micro-gripper device ( Figure 1 C). They used a 3D projection micro-stereolithography (PMSL) system.…”

Section: Am Applications At the Microscalementioning

confidence: 99%

Design Aspects of Additive Manufacturing at Microscale: A Review

et al. 2022

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Additive manufacturing (AM) technology has been researched and developed for almost three decades. Microscale AM is one of the fastest-growing fields of research within the AM area. Considerable progress has been made in the development and commercialization of new and innovative microscale AM processes, as well as several practical applications in a variety of fields. However, there are still significant challenges that exist in terms of design, available materials, processes, and the ability to fabricate true three-dimensional structures and systems at a microscale. For instance, microscale AM fabrication technologies are associated with certain limitations and constraints due to the scale aspect, which may require the establishment and use of specialized design methodologies in order to overcome them. The aim of this paper is to review the main processes, materials, and applications of the current microscale AM technology, to present future research needs for this technology, and to discuss the need for the introduction of a design methodology. Thus, one of the primary concerns of the current paper is to present the design aspects describing the comparative advantages and AM limitations at the microscale, as well as the selection of processes and materials.

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“…This technique can be divided into different categories based on the working principles. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) [102][103][104], micro continuous liquid interface production (μCLIP) [105], stereo lithography appearance (SLA) [106][107][108][109], and two-photon polymerization (2PP) [110] have been reported in the literature. 3D printing typically involves the use of polymers to fabricate CMMs.…”

Section: D Printingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…SLA is a form of 3D printing technology, in which light causes the photopolymer to crosslink and form the body of a 3D solid. The photopolymers reported in the literature include well-established photo-curable materials such as trichlorofluoromethane (R11) [106], photo-curable polymer mixtures [107], and special photopolymer resins developed by 3D printing companies such as Formlabs [108]. The smallest feature resolution that can be reliably achieved by SLA ranges from 20 μm to 70 μm, as shown in Figure 11(a) and (b).…”

Section: D Printingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Micro-scale Realization of Compliant Mechanisms: Manufacturing Processes and Constituent Materials—A Review

Wang

Zhang

et al. 2021

Chin. J. Mech. Eng.

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Compliant micromechanisms (CMMs) acquire mobility from the deflection of elastic members and have been proven to be robust by millions of silicon MEMS devices. However, the limited deflection of silicon impedes the realization of more sophisticated CMMs, which often require larger deflections. Recently, some novel manufacturing processes have emerged but are not well known by the community. In this paper, the realization of CMMs is reviewed, aiming to provide help to mechanical designers to quickly find the proper realization method for their CMM designs. To this end, the literature surveyed was classified and statistically analyzed, and representative processes were summarized individually to reflect the state of the art of CMM manufacturing. Furthermore, the features of each process were collected into tables to facilitate the reference of readers, and the guidelines for process selection were discussed. The review results indicate that, even though the silicon process remains dominant, great progress has been made in the development of polymer-related and composite-related processes, such as micromolding, SU-8 process, laser ablation, 3D printing, and the CNT frameworking. These processes result in constituent materials with a lower Young’s modulus and larger maximum allowable strain than silicon, and therefore allow larger deflection. The geometrical capabilities (e.g., aspect ratio) of the realization methods should also be considered, because different types of CMMs have different requirements. We conclude that the SU-8 process, 3D printing, and carbon nanotube frameworking will play more important roles in the future owing to their excellent comprehensive capabilities.

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A 3D-printed polymer micro-gripper with self-defined electrical tracks and thermal actuator

Cited by 11 publications

References 22 publications

Tethered and Untethered 3D Microactuators Fabricated by Two-Photon Polymerization: A Review

Tethered and Untethered 3D Microactuators Fabricated by Two-Photon Polymerization: A Review

Design Aspects of Additive Manufacturing at Microscale: A Review

Micro-scale Realization of Compliant Mechanisms: Manufacturing Processes and Constituent Materials—A Review

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