A novel dual-stage shape memory alloy actuated gripper
ISSN: 0143-991x
Article publication date: 5 December 2022
Issue publication date: 17 February 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to propose a novel dual-stage shape memory alloy (SMA) actuated gripper (DAG), of which the grasp performance is improved through primary and secondary actuation.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents a method of integrating the design of dual-stage actuation modules based on the SMA bias actuation principle to enhance the grasping shape adaptability and force modulation of a DAG. The actuation angle range and grasping performance of the DAG are investigated by thermomechanical analysis and the finite element method based numerical simulation.
Findings
The results of present experiments and simulations indicate that the actuation angle scope of the DAG is about 20° under no load, which enables the grasping space occupied by an object in the DAG from 60 mm to 120 mm. The grasping force adjusted by changing the input power of the primary main actuation module and secondary fine-tuning actuation module can reach a maximum of 2 N, which is capable of grasping objects of various sizes, weights, shapes, etc.
Originality/value
The contribution of this paper is to design a DAG based on SMA, and establish the solution methods for the primary main actuation module and secondary fine-tuning actuation module, respectively. It lays a foundation for the research of lightweight and intelligent robotic grippers.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. U1808215 and 12172076) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China (DUT21GF101). X. Li was also supported by the State Scholarship Fund of China Scholarship Council (No. 201906060041).
Conflict of interest: The authors declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, and there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in, or the review of, the manuscript entitled.
Citation
Li, X., Liu, S., Tong, L. and Gao, R. (2023), "A novel dual-stage shape memory alloy actuated gripper", Industrial Robot, Vol. 50 No. 2, pp. 326-336. https://doi.org/10.1108/IR-04-2022-0114
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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