A Linearly Deformable Pneumatic Scalable Microgripper for Universal Mid-Air Micromanipulation

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Automation
• Materials Science
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Microscale component manipulation is hindered by strong surface forces and current method limitations.
• Complex shapes like semiconductors and optical lenses present significant handling challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a 3D-printed soft pneumatic microgripper for precise manipulation of microscale components.
• To address challenges posed by surface forces and limitations of existing micro-manipulation techniques.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a soft pneumatic microgripper using IP-PDMS two-photon polymerization 3D printing.
• Incorporation of a concave design with snap and continuous operational modes.
• Integration of an adhesion-reducing mask to minimize surface interactions.

Main Results:

• Achieved a minimum operation diameter of 40 μm.
• Demonstrated a substrate-free release force as low as 11.1 nN with an adhesion switching ratio of 373.
• Enabled universal pick-and-place and mid-air transition of ultralight components (≈1.14 μg).

Conclusions:

• The developed microgripper offers a scalable solution for complex micro-manipulation tasks.
• The device exhibits high durability with over 30,000 actuation cycles without performance degradation.
• A multi-gripper system can execute intricate manipulation tasks in confined spaces.