Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Design of a path generating compliant mechanism using a novel rigid-body-replacement method

  • Published:
Meccanica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Flexure-hinge compliant mechanisms have developed rapidly in precision engineering and robotics, especially in the context of micro aerial vehicles, where researchers employ such mechanisms for generating flapping-wing paths. This paper focuses on the design of a fully compliant mechanism for generating different bio-inspired 3D wing paths. A novel design algorithm was developed based on the rigid-body replacement method. The rigid-body replacement typically involves searching a rigid-body mechanism that accomplishes the desired path and converting it into a compliant mechanism by replacing the rigid joints with flexural hinges or using the Pseudo-Rigid-Body model. In the new method, the 3D mechanism was designed in two perpendicular planes. First, the main path was developed using the four-bar mechanism synthesis methods. Then, the mechanism was dynamically designed by flexural elements in the other plane. The governing dynamic equations were derived, and the main parameters were investigated. The mechanism was prototyped by the SCM (Smart Composite Manufacturing) process. For verification, the wing path was captured by a high-speed camera and compared with the analytical path.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

Availability of data and material

Not applicable.

Code availability

Not applicable.

References

  1. Zhang C, Rossi C (2017) A review of compliant transmission mechanisms for bio-inspired flapping-wing micro air vehicles. Bioinspir Biomim 12(2):025005. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-3190/aa58d3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Howell LL (2001) Compliant mechanisms, John Wiley & Sons

  3. Zhao K, Schmiedeler JP (2016) Using rigid-body mechanism topologies to design path generating compliant mechanisms. J Mech Robot 10(1115/1):4030623

    Google Scholar 

  4. Lau GK, Chin YW, Goh JTW, Wood RJ (2014) Dipteran-insect-inspired thoracic mechanism with nonlinear stiffness to save inertial power of flapping-wing flight. IEEE Trans Robot 30(5):1187–1197. https://doi.org/10.1109/TRO.2014.2333112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. McDonald M, Agrawal SK (2010) Desgin of a bio-inspired spherical four-bar mechanism for flapping-wing micro air-vehicle applications. J Mech Robot. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4001460

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Saxena A (2005) Synthesis of compliant mechanisms for path generation using genetic algorithm. J Mech Design 10(1115/1):1899178

    Google Scholar 

  7. Tari H, Su HJ (2011) A complex solution framework for the kinetostatic synthesis of a compliant four-bar mechanism. Mech Mach Theory 46:1137–1152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Lehmann F, Pick S (2007) The aerodynamic benefit of wing–wing interaction depends on stroke trajectory in flapping insect wings. J Exp Biol 210:1362–1377. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.02746

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Xiao S, Hu K, Huang B, Deng H, Ding X (2021) A review of research on the mechanical design of hoverable flapping wing micro-air vehicles. J Bionic Eng 18:1235–1254. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42235-021-00118-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Yue-Qing Yu, Zhou P, Qi-Ping Xu (2019) Kinematic and dynamic analysis of compliant mechanisms considering both lateral and axial deformations of flexural beams. J Mech Eng Sci 233(3):1007–1020. https://doi.org/10.1177/0954406218760956

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Hoover AM, Fearing RS (2008) Fast scale prototyping for folded millirobots, In: IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, Pasadena, CA, USA, https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBOT.2008.4543317.

  12. Amirhosseini H, Najafi F (2019) Design, prototyping and performance evaluation of a bio-inspired walking microrobot. Iran J Sci Technol Trans Mech Eng. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40997-019-00281-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Titow WV (1984) PVC technology. Elsevier applied science publishers, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

No funding was received for conducting this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Milad Sattari Sarebangholi & Farshid Najafi

Authors
  1. Milad Sattari Sarebangholi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Farshid Najafi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

This study was conducted by Milad Sattari Sarebangholi under the supervision of Dr. Farshid Najafi. All authors contributed to the study's conception and design. Material preparation, experiment conduction, and analysis were performed by Milad Sattari Sarebangholi. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Milad Sattari Sarebangholi and Farshid Najafi reviewed and edited the previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Farshid Najafi.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sattari Sarebangholi, M., Najafi, F. Design of a path generating compliant mechanism using a novel rigid-body-replacement method. Meccanica 57, 1701–1711 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11012-022-01527-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11012-022-01527-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation