Design and Evaluation of an Adjustable Compliant Constant-Force Microgripper

Area of Science:

• Micro-robotics and manipulation
• Mechanical engineering
• Biomedical engineering

Background:

• Accurate force control is essential in micro-scale applications to prevent object damage.
• Traditional microgrippers often lack adjustable force output, limiting their versatility.
• Force feedback control in micro-manipulation presents significant challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and develop a quasi-zero stiffness-compliant constant-force microgripper with adjustable force output.
• To overcome the limitations of single-force output grippers in micro-scale operations.
• To enable precise and safe manipulation of delicate micro-objects.

Main Methods:

• Model-based optimization for designing constant-force mechanism parameters.
• Finite element analysis (FEA) for simulating and verifying constant-force output stability.
• Experimental platform construction for validating microgripper mechanical properties.

Main Results:

• A compliant microgripper with adjustable constant-force output was successfully developed.
• The optimized microgripper achieved a target constant force of 2 N.
• An adjustable force range of 0.15 N was demonstrated, confirming precise control.
• FEA and experimental results validated the stability and performance of the constant-force mechanism.

Conclusions:

• The developed microgripper offers precise, adjustable constant-force control for micro-scale applications.
• This compliant constant-force structure provides a foundation for advanced micro-manipulation tasks.
• The findings support the broader application and promotion of compliant constant-force mechanisms.