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Design and application of integrated parabolic soft actuator

Dong Liu (Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China and Dalian University of Technology Jiangsu Research Institute Co., Ltd., Changzhou, China)
Minghao Wang (Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China and Dalian University of Technology Jiangsu Research Institute Co., Ltd., Changzhou, China)
Ming Cong (Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China and Dalian University of Technology Jiangsu Research Institute Co., Ltd., Changzhou, China)

Industrial Robot

ISSN: 0143-991x

Article publication date: 2 August 2019

Issue publication date: 14 November 2019

227

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to solve the common problems of outer phenomenon and stress concentration among pneumatic networks soft actuators.

Design/methodology/approach

On the basis of imitating the caterpillar structure, the new soft actuator adopts the integral circular ladder structure instead of the traditional independent distributed structure as the air chamber. Through the comparison of several different structures, the parabolic in-wall curve is found to be fit for designing the optimal integrated chamber structure of the soft actuator. The curve function of each ladder chamber is computed based on the torque distribution model, aiming to decrease the terminal deformation. Meanwhile, the FEM analysis method is applied to establish the motion model of the integrated parabolic ladder soft actuator. The model’s accuracy, as well as structure’s deformation and stress, are verified.

Findings

Compared with the FEM data, the experimental data indicate that the new soft actuator has no obvious outer phenomenon, the maximum stress decreases and the stiffness increases. The new actuator is applied for designing a flexible gripper to grasp objects of different shapes and sizes. The gripper can grasp objects of 52.6 times its own mass.

Practical implications

The designed gripper is available for flexible production in various fields, such as capturing fruits of different sizes, soft foods or parts with complex shapes.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a new type soft actuator, which provides a solution for exploring the field of the soft robot. The problems of outer phenomenon and stress concentration are suppressed with pneumatic networks soft actuators.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (61873045), in part by Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20180190), in part by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(DUT19JC56) and in part by Industrial Technology R&D Joint roundation of Jiangsu Intelligent Device Industrial Technology Innovation Center.

Citation

Liu, D., Wang, M. and Cong, M. (2019), "Design and application of integrated parabolic soft actuator", Industrial Robot, Vol. 46 No. 6, pp. 792-799. https://doi.org/10.1108/IR-03-2019-0062

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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