Design and Development of Flexible Systems Load Deflection Tester

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayse Tekes ◽  
Mohammed Mayeed ◽  
Kevin McFall
Keyword(s):  
Compliant Mechanisms ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Force Sensor ◽  
Flexible Systems ◽  
Deflection Curve ◽  
Design And Development ◽  
Vision Measurement ◽  
Stepper Motors ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Deflection Test

Abstract This study presents the design and development of a novel, low-cost load-deflection test setup providing the testing of flexible links and compliant mechanisms. Test bench consists of two stepper motors, lead screw, rail system, two carts, two clamps, bearings and a force sensor. Clamps are designed in a way to attach various types of compliant members such as pinned-pinned buckling beam, fixed-fixed beam and 3D printed links. Mechanism enables to calculate the stiffness of compliant and 3D printed flexible systems. Sliders are displaced quasi-statically to slowly stretch or compress the flexible members attached in between two clamps. Displacement of the carts and deflection of the midpoint of the buckling beams are captured using machine vision measurement. Force applied from one of the carts to the end of the attached link is recorded using the force sensor. Stiffness of 3D printed flexible translational vibratory mechanisms is obtained using the displacement of the carts and load deflection curve of buckling beams are obtained using deflection curve and load data. Experimental results are compared with the same simulations performed by FEA analysis.

scholarly journals Kraken: A wirelessly controlled octopus-like hybrid robot utilizing stepper motors and fishing line artificial muscle for grasping underwater

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yara Almubarak ◽  
Michelle Schmutz ◽  
Miguel Perez ◽  
Shrey Shah ◽  
Yonas Tadesse
Keyword(s):  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Arm Movement ◽  
Artificial Muscle ◽  
Aquatic Life ◽  
Stepper Motors ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Arm Motion ◽  
Hybrid Actuation ◽  
Underwater Exploration

Abstract Underwater exploration or inspection requires suitable robotic systems capable of maneuvering, manipulating objects, and operating untethered in complex environmental conditions. Traditional robots have been used to perform many tasks underwater. However, they have limited degrees of freedom, manipulation capabilities, portability, and have disruptive interactions with aquatic life. Research in soft robotics seeks to incorporate ideas of the natural flexibility and agility of aquatic species into man-made technologies to improve the current capabilities of robots using biomimetics. In this paper, we present a novel design, fabrication, and testing results of an underwater robot known as Kraken that has tentacles to mimic the arm movement of an octopus. To control the arm motion, Kraken utilizes a hybrid actuation technology consisting of stepper motors and twisted and a coiled fishing line polymer muscle (TCP FL ). TCPs are becoming one of the promising actuation technologies due to their high actuation stroke, high force, light weight, and low cost. We have studied different arm stiffness configurations of the tentacles tailored to operate in different modalities (curling, twisting, and bending), to control the shape of the tentacles and grasp irregular objects delicately. Kraken uses an onboard battery, a wireless programmable joystick, a buoyancy system for depth control, all housed in a three-layer 3D printed dome-like structure. Here, we present Kraken fully functioning underwater in an Olympic-size swimming pool using its servo actuated tentacles and other test results on the TCP FL actuated tentacles in a laboratory setting. This is the first time that an embedded TCP FL actuator within elastomer has been proposed for the tentacles of an octopus-like robot along with the performance of the structures. Further, as a case study, we showed the functionality of the robot in grasping objects underwater for field robotics applications.

scholarly journals A low-cost and high-precision scanning electrochemical microscope built with open source tools

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alperen Guver ◽  
Nafetalai Fifita ◽  
Peker Milas ◽  
Michael Straker ◽  
Michael Guy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
High Precision ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Measurement Capability ◽  
Scanning Electrochemical Microscope ◽  
Inverted Microscope ◽  
Stepper Motors ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Software And Hardware

AbstractA low-cost Scanning Electrochemical Microscope (SECM) was built with a 0.6 pA current measurement capability potentiostat and submicron resolution motorized stage, using open source software and hardware tools. The high performance potentiostat with a Python graphical user interface was built based on an open source project. Arduino boards, stepper motors, a manual XY micromanipulator stage, 3D printed couplers and gears were used in building the motorized stage. An open source motor control software was used for moving the motorized stage with high precision. An inverted microscope was utilized for viewing a standard microelectrode while scanning. The setup was tested in the formation of a map of electrochemical signals from an array of pores on a parafilm membrane. As the setup will be used in future biosensing experiments, DNA hybridization detection experiments were also performed with the setup.

scholarly journals Design and Development of a Climbing Robot for Wind Turbine Maintenance

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 2328
Author(s):  
Jui-Hung Liu ◽  
Kathleen Padrigalan
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Computer Aided Design ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Prototype Model ◽  
Climbing Robot ◽  
Design And Development ◽  
Stepper Motors ◽  
Inspection Tasks ◽  
Maintenance And Inspection

The evolution of the wind turbine to generate carbon-free renewable energy is rapidly growing. Thus, performing maintenance and inspection tasks in high altitude environments or difficult to access places, and even bad weather conditions, poses a problem for the periodic inspection process of the wind turbine industry. This paper describes the design and development of a scaled-down prototype climbing robot for wind turbine maintenance to perform critical tower operations. Thus, the unique feature of this maintenance robot is the winding mechanism, which uses a tension force to grip on the tower surface without falling to the ground either in static or dynamic situations, with the locomotion to perform a straight up–down motion in a circular truncated cone and the stability to work at significant heights. The robot computer-aided design (CAD) model of the mechanical mechanism, force and structural analysis, and the testing of the prototype model, are addressed in this paper. The key hardware developments that were utilized to build a low-cost, reliable and compact climbing robot are the embedded microprocessors, brushed DC motors, stepper motors and steel rope. This paper concludes with a successful preliminary experiment of a scaled down prototype proving the functionality of the concept. The potential applications for this robot are industrial maintenance, inspection and exploration, security and surveillance, cleaning, painting, and welding at extreme height conditions.

scholarly journals Design and Development of a Delta 3D Printer Using Salvaged E-Waste Materials

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Anthony Simons ◽  
Kossi L. M. Avegnon ◽  
Cyrus Addy
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Work Rate ◽  
Stepper Motor ◽  
3D Printer ◽  
Design And Development ◽  
The World ◽  
Stepper Motors ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Design Calculations ◽  
Stable Linear

The next phase of industrialization in the world is the use of 3D printing technology. Various 3D printing technologies are employed all over the world and for different purposes, from 3D printed houses to 3D printed food nutrients. Printer movement is achieved by carriages moving in a clearly defined X, Y, and Z orientation. The 3D printer has a lower work rate; subsequently, many printouts consume a lot of time due to their complexity. This paper elaborates on the design and development of a faster and fixed build platform 3D printer (Delta 3D printer) using locally available materials and e-waste. The Delta 3D printer movement is faster with a stable bed. Printer movement is achieved using three vertical axes placed 120° apart. Accuracy and speed are achieved with the use of NEMA 17 stepper motors to drive the various carriages on the vertical axes. Design calculations show that the least force delivered by the stepper motor is 1.73 N which exceeds 0.8334 N, the weight of the load to be carried. Furthermore, a stepper motor must turn 80 steps (rotational motion) in order to achieve 1 mm advance (linear motion). This ensures a higher printout resolution. In place of traditional linear rails, locally sourced square pipes were adopted coupled with bearings and a 3D printed carriage support, and a relatively cheaper but stable linear rail was developed. The goal of this research was to develop an alternative easy-to-build Delta 3D printer using locally sourced materials. This goal of this research was achieved, and the developed prototype was test-run under load conditions. It is recommended that salvaged e-waste should be properly managed for easy acquisition.

scholarly journals Design and Development of nEMoS, an All-in-One, Low-Cost, Web-Connected and 3D-Printed Device for Environmental Analysis

Sensors ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 13012-13027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Salamone ◽  
Lorenzo Belussi ◽  
Ludovico Danza ◽  
Matteo Ghellere ◽  
Italo Meroni
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Analysis ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Design And Development ◽  
3D Printed

Pioneering Low-Cost 3D-Printed Transtibial Prosthetics to Serve a Rural Population in Sierra Leone

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merel van der Stelt ◽  
Martin P. Grobusch ◽  
Abdul R. Koroma ◽  
Marco Papenburg ◽  
Ismaila Kebbie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Rural Population ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
3D Printed
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document