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Updated: Feb 8, 2026
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Rapid Manufacturing of Thin Soft Pneumatic Actuators and Robots
Published on: November 8, 2019
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Laser Cutting as a Rapid Method for Fabricating Thin Soft Pneumatic Actuators and Robots.
Amir Ali Amiri Moghadam1,2, Seyedhamidreza Alaie1,2, Suborna Deb Nath1
11 Dalio Institute of Cardiovascular Imaging , New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York.
Soft Robotics
|June 21, 2018
Summary
This study introduces a rapid laser-cutting method for fabricating ultrathin soft robots and actuators from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). This innovation significantly reduces fabrication time, enabling quick deployment of lightweight, multifunctional soft robotic systems.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Materials Science
- Manufacturing Engineering
Background:
- Pneumatically actuated soft robots offer advantages for delicate object manipulation but are often bulky and time-consuming to fabricate.
- Existing fabrication methods limit the widespread adoption of soft robotic technologies due to their complexity and duration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, rapid fabrication method for ultrathin soft robots and actuators.
- To demonstrate the versatility and multifunctionality of soft robots produced using this new technique.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a laser-cutting machine to cut and weld sheets of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) based on 2D CAD designs.
- Designed, fabricated, and characterized five distinct soft actuators with planar and nonplanar motions.
- Explored stacking multiple TPU sheets for creating multifunctional actuators and a portable four-arm swimming robot.
Main Results:
- Achieved fabrication of ultrathin soft robots and actuators with thicknesses of approximately 70 micrometers.
- Successfully created diverse soft actuators exhibiting bending, rotating, and contracting motions.
- Demonstrated rapid prototyping, enabling soft robots to transition from concept to operation within minutes.
Conclusions:
- The laser-cutting method offers a fast, efficient, and versatile approach to soft robot fabrication.
- This technique enables the creation of a new class of ultrathin, lightweight soft robots suitable for confined spaces and specialized applications.
- The rapid prototyping capability accelerates the development cycle for soft robotic systems.
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