Adaptive and energy efficient SMA-based handling systems

Motzki, Paul; Kunze, Julian; Holz, Benedikt; York, Alexander; Seelecke, Stefan

doi:10.1117/12.2083580

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…Due to the mostly air exposed SMA wires, the heating and cooling time was little influenced by the deflection pulleys. The use of such pulleys to increase the force in the SMA system is recommended by [15] and applied by [35] to develop a vacuum gripper. This vacuum gripper works with a tension spring to generate the vacuum and with the SMA wires arranged in a circle like pulley system to generate the necessary reset force.…”

Section: Version Pulley Blockmentioning

confidence: 99%

Owl Neck Spine inspired, Additively Manufactured, Joint Assemblies with Shape Memory Alloy Wire Actuators

Löffler¹,

Tremmel²,

Hornfeck³

2023

Preprint

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Nature provides plenty of good examples for simple and very efficient joint assemblies. One example is the enormously flexible cervical spine of American barn owls, which consists of 14 cervical vertebrae. Each pair of vertebrae produces a comparatively small individual movement in order to provide a large overall movement of the entire cervical spine. The biomimetic replication of such joints is difficult due to the delicate and geometric unrestricted joint shapes as well as the muscles that have to be mimicked. Using X-ray as well as micro computed tomography images and with the utilisation of additive manufacturing, it is possible to produce the owl neck vertebrae in scaled-up form, to analyse them and then to transfer them into technically usable joint assemblies. The muscle substitution of these joints is realised by smart materials actuators in the form of shape memory alloy wire actuators. This actuator technology is outstanding for its muscle-like movement and for its enormous energy density [1,2]. The disadvantage of this wire actuator technology is the low rate of contraction, which means that a large length of wire has to be installed to generate adequate movement. For this reason, the actuator wires are integrated into additively manufactured carrier components to mimic the biological joints. This results in joint designs that compensate for the disadvantages of the small contraction of the actuators by intelligently installing large wire lengths on comparatively small installation spaces, while also providing a sufficient force output. With the help of a test rig, the developed technical joint variants are examined and evaluated. This demonstrates the technical applicability of this bionic joints.

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Section: Version Pulley Blockmentioning

confidence: 99%

Owl Neck Spine inspired, Additively Manufactured, Joint Assemblies with Shape Memory Alloy Wire Actuators

Löffler¹,

Tremmel²,

Hornfeck³

2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This approach utilizes material‐based actuation, e.g., stimuli‐responsive materials, to actively control the volume change in the SC and generate suction. Motzki et al developed a shape memory alloy (SMA) driven SC that achieves a 20 Newton holding force with just 4.5 V. [ 15 ] Welsch et al created a bistable SC using SMA wires, combined with a bistable spring and integrated condition monitoring through the self‐sensing effect of SMA. [ 16 ] However, the slow recovery of SMA during cooling affects the time efficiency of SMA‐actuated SCs, limiting their applications.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, in the article, a recycling method is introduced for multi-material SCs based on the mechanical separation of reversible polymers. achieves a 20 Newton holding force with just 4.5 V. [15] Welsch et al created a bistable SC using SMA wires, combined with a bistable spring and integrated condition monitoring through the self-sensing effect of SMA. [16] However, the slow recovery of SMA during cooling affects the time efficiency of SMA-actuated SCs, limiting their applications.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self‐Closing and Self‐Healing Multi‐Material Suction Cups for Energy‐Efficient Vacuum Grippers

Wang,

Terryn,

Wang

et al. 2023

Advanced Intelligent Systems

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While vacuum grippers offer an economical solution, the environmental impact of energy waste through their suction cups (SCs) cannot be overlooked. This waste stems from three key factors: i) air losses from idle SCs arranged in arrays, ii) inadequate sealing on target surfaces leading to air leaks, and iii) damage from sharp objects resulting in leaking perforations. To overcome these challenges, in this article, a comprehensive approach is presented that involves the development of a i) self‐closing, ii) multi‐material, and iii) self‐healing system based on reversible elastomers cross‐linked via the Diels–Alder (DA) reaction. The system incorporates a fully autonomous self‐closing mechanism to prevent energy waste in SC arrays during periods of non‐contact. Fluid–structure interaction simulations are utilized to analyze the design. Versatility and stability are achieved by incorporating hyper‐flexible and stiff elastomers in a multi‐material design, supported by covalent DA cross‐links that ensure robustness through high‐strength multi‐material interfaces. These DA cross‐links also enable self‐healing capabilities, allowing the SCs to recover from macroscopic damages within 1 day at ambient conditions or in a single hour with mild heating (80–90 °C), restoring full performance. Additionally, in the article, a recycling method is introduced for multi‐material SCs based on the mechanical separation of reversible polymers.

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Bioinspired design and validation of a soft robotic end-effector with integrated shape memory alloy-driven suction capabilities

Zhou,

Xu,

Chen

et al. 2024

Bioinspir. Biomim.

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The exploration of adaptive robotic systems capable of performing complex tasks in unstructured environments, such as underwater salvage operations, presents a significant challenge. Traditional rigid grippers often struggle with adaptability, whereas bioinspired soft grippers offer enhanced flexibility and adaptability to varied object shapes. In this study, we present a novel bioinspired soft robotic gripper integrated with a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuated suction cup, inspired by the versatile grasping strategies of octopus arms and suckers. Our design leverages a tendon-driven composite arm, enabling precise bending and adaptive grasping, combined with SMA technology to create a compact, efficient suction mechanism. We develop comprehensive kinematic and static models to predict the interaction between arm bending deflection and suction force, thereby optimizing the gripper’s performance. Experimental validation demonstrates the efficacy of our integrated design, highlighting its potential for advanced manipulation tasks in challenging environments. This work provides a new perspective on the integration of bioinspired design principles with smart materials, paving the way for future innovations in adaptive robotic systems.

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Adaptive and energy efficient SMA-based handling systems

Cited by 7 publications

References 1 publication

Owl Neck Spine inspired, Additively Manufactured, Joint Assemblies with Shape Memory Alloy Wire Actuators

Owl Neck Spine inspired, Additively Manufactured, Joint Assemblies with Shape Memory Alloy Wire Actuators

Self‐Closing and Self‐Healing Multi‐Material Suction Cups for Energy‐Efficient Vacuum Grippers

Bioinspired design and validation of a soft robotic end-effector with integrated shape memory alloy-driven suction capabilities

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