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Manufacturing of inchworm robot using shape memory alloy (SMA) embedded composite structure

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Abstract

To design effective movement of robots, various locomotive mechanisms have been investigated. In this study, an inchworm robot was manufactured using shape memory alloy (SMA) which was embedded in composite materials. A Ni-Ti SMA wire was pre-strained and embedded in the glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) strip laid on an ∩-shape mold. Then SMA embedded composite structure was cured at room temperature for 72 hours. Controlling DC current through the SMA wire, the SMA-composite structure, body, could be actuated by changing the radius of curvature. Two legs were attached to the end of body and the leg has two edges which have different coefficients of friction to provide directional movement. One stroke of inchworm provided 4.0 mm translational movement. Repeating on and off of DC current, the inchworm robot gives continuous movement. This mechanism can be applied to the soft morphing robotics, bio medical devices, airplane inlet, etc. instead of using traditional components for their movement.

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Author notes

  1. Won-Shik Chu

    Present address: Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, PRB-252, 65 Landsdowne Street, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, 599 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Korea, 151-142

    Min-Saeng Kim, Won-Shik Chu, Jae-Hoon Lee, Yun-Mi Kim & Sung-Hoon Ahn

Authors
  1. Min-Saeng Kim
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  2. Won-Shik Chu
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  3. Jae-Hoon Lee
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  4. Yun-Mi Kim
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Correspondence to Sung-Hoon Ahn.

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Kim, MS., Chu, WS., Lee, JH. et al. Manufacturing of inchworm robot using shape memory alloy (SMA) embedded composite structure. Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf. 12, 565–568 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12541-011-0071-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12541-011-0071-2

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