Design of Dielectric Elastomer Actuator and Its Application in Flexible Gripper
Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are difficult to apply to flexible grippers due to their small deformation range and low output force. Hence, a DEA with a large bending deformation range and output force was designed, and a corresponding flexible gripper was developed to realize the function o...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/16/1/107 |
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| author | Xiaoyu Meng Jiaqing Xie Haoran Pang Wenchao Wei Jiping Niu Mingqiang Zhu Fang Gu Xiaohuan Fan Haiyan Fan |
| author_facet | Xiaoyu Meng Jiaqing Xie Haoran Pang Wenchao Wei Jiping Niu Mingqiang Zhu Fang Gu Xiaohuan Fan Haiyan Fan |
| author_sort | Xiaoyu Meng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are difficult to apply to flexible grippers due to their small deformation range and low output force. Hence, a DEA with a large bending deformation range and output force was designed, and a corresponding flexible gripper was developed to realize the function of grasping objects of different shapes. The relationship between the pre-stretch ratio and DEA deformation degree was tested by experiments. Based on the performance test results of the dielectric elastomer (DE), the bending deformation process of DEAs with different shapes was simulated by Finite Element Method (FEM) simulation. DEAs with different shapes were prepared through laser cutting and the relationship between the voltage and the bending angle, and the output force of the DEAs was measured. The result shows that under uniaxial stretching, the deformation of the DEA in the stretching direction gradually increases and decreases in the unstretched direction with the increase in the pre-stretch ratio. Under biaxial stretching, DEA deformation increases with the increase in the pre-stretch ratio. The shape of the DEA has a certain influence on the bending deformation range under the same conditions, and the elliptical DEA has a larger bending deformation range and higher output force compared with the rectangular DEA and the trapezium DEA. The elliptical DEA can produce a bending deformation of 40° and an output force of 37.2 mN at a voltage of 24 kV. The three-finger flexible gripper composed of an elliptical DEA can realize the grasping of a paper cup. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9a8a5f92e312489ea6ca7877a0490d70 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2072-666X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Micromachines |
| spelling | doaj-art-9a8a5f92e312489ea6ca7877a0490d702025-01-24T13:42:12ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2025-01-0116110710.3390/mi16010107Design of Dielectric Elastomer Actuator and Its Application in Flexible GripperXiaoyu Meng0Jiaqing Xie1Haoran Pang2Wenchao Wei3Jiping Niu4Mingqiang Zhu5Fang Gu6Xiaohuan Fan7Haiyan Fan8College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, ChinaCollege of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, ChinaGuangdong Association of Environmental Protecion Industry, Guangzhou 510045, ChinaZhejiang Sunny Optical Company, Yuyao 315400, ChinaDielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are difficult to apply to flexible grippers due to their small deformation range and low output force. Hence, a DEA with a large bending deformation range and output force was designed, and a corresponding flexible gripper was developed to realize the function of grasping objects of different shapes. The relationship between the pre-stretch ratio and DEA deformation degree was tested by experiments. Based on the performance test results of the dielectric elastomer (DE), the bending deformation process of DEAs with different shapes was simulated by Finite Element Method (FEM) simulation. DEAs with different shapes were prepared through laser cutting and the relationship between the voltage and the bending angle, and the output force of the DEAs was measured. The result shows that under uniaxial stretching, the deformation of the DEA in the stretching direction gradually increases and decreases in the unstretched direction with the increase in the pre-stretch ratio. Under biaxial stretching, DEA deformation increases with the increase in the pre-stretch ratio. The shape of the DEA has a certain influence on the bending deformation range under the same conditions, and the elliptical DEA has a larger bending deformation range and higher output force compared with the rectangular DEA and the trapezium DEA. The elliptical DEA can produce a bending deformation of 40° and an output force of 37.2 mN at a voltage of 24 kV. The three-finger flexible gripper composed of an elliptical DEA can realize the grasping of a paper cup.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/16/1/107dielectric elastomer actuatorsoft gripperpre-stretchshape designbending range |
| spellingShingle | Xiaoyu Meng Jiaqing Xie Haoran Pang Wenchao Wei Jiping Niu Mingqiang Zhu Fang Gu Xiaohuan Fan Haiyan Fan Design of Dielectric Elastomer Actuator and Its Application in Flexible Gripper Micromachines dielectric elastomer actuator soft gripper pre-stretch shape design bending range |
| title | Design of Dielectric Elastomer Actuator and Its Application in Flexible Gripper |
| title_full | Design of Dielectric Elastomer Actuator and Its Application in Flexible Gripper |
| title_fullStr | Design of Dielectric Elastomer Actuator and Its Application in Flexible Gripper |
| title_full_unstemmed | Design of Dielectric Elastomer Actuator and Its Application in Flexible Gripper |
| title_short | Design of Dielectric Elastomer Actuator and Its Application in Flexible Gripper |
| title_sort | design of dielectric elastomer actuator and its application in flexible gripper |
| topic | dielectric elastomer actuator soft gripper pre-stretch shape design bending range |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/16/1/107 |
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