Biological systems such as the gecko are complex, involving a wide variety of materials and length scales. Bio-inspired robotic systems seek to emulate this complexity, leading to manufacturing challenges. A new design for a membrane-based gripper for curved surfaces requires the inclusion of microscale features, macroscale structural elements, electrically patterned thin films, and both soft and hard materials. Surface and shape deposition manufacturing (S2DM) is introduced as a process that can create parts with multiple materials, as well as integrated thin films and microtextures. It combines SDM techniques, laser cutting and patterning, and a new texturing technique, surface microsculpting. The process allows for precise registration of sequential additive/subtractive manufacturing steps. S2DM is demonstrated with the manufacture of a gripper that picks up common objects using a gecko-inspired adhesive. The process can be extended to other integrated robotic components that benefit from the integration of textures, thin films, and multiple materials.
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Research-Article
Surface and Shape Deposition Manufacturing for the Fabrication of a Curved Surface Gripper
Srinivasan A. Suresh,
Srinivasan A. Suresh
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: sasuresh@stanford.edu
Stanford University
,Stanford, CA 94305
e-mail: sasuresh@stanford.edu
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David L. Christensen,
David L. Christensen
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: davidc10@stanford.edu
Stanford University
,Stanford, CA 94305
e-mail: davidc10@stanford.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Elliot W. Hawkes,
Elliot W. Hawkes
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: ewhawkes@stanford.edu
Stanford University
,Stanford, CA 94305
e-mail: ewhawkes@stanford.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Mark Cutkosky
Mark Cutkosky
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: cutkosky@stanford.edu
Stanford University
,Stanford, CA 94305
e-mail: cutkosky@stanford.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Srinivasan A. Suresh
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: sasuresh@stanford.edu
Stanford University
,Stanford, CA 94305
e-mail: sasuresh@stanford.edu
David L. Christensen
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: davidc10@stanford.edu
Stanford University
,Stanford, CA 94305
e-mail: davidc10@stanford.edu
Elliot W. Hawkes
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: ewhawkes@stanford.edu
Stanford University
,Stanford, CA 94305
e-mail: ewhawkes@stanford.edu
Mark Cutkosky
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: cutkosky@stanford.edu
Stanford University
,Stanford, CA 94305
e-mail: cutkosky@stanford.edu
Manuscript received August 14, 2014; final manuscript received December 23, 2014; published online February 27, 2015. Assoc. Editor: Aaron M. Dollar.
J. Mechanisms Robotics. May 2015, 7(2): 021005 (7 pages)
Published Online: May 1, 2015
Article history
Received:
August 14, 2014
Revision Received:
December 23, 2014
Online:
February 27, 2015
Citation
Suresh, S. A., Christensen, D. L., Hawkes, E. W., and Cutkosky, M. (May 1, 2015). "Surface and Shape Deposition Manufacturing for the Fabrication of a Curved Surface Gripper." ASME. J. Mechanisms Robotics. May 2015; 7(2): 021005. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4029492
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