Article: Peele, BN; Wallin, TJ; Zhao, HC; Shepherd, RF; (2015) “3D Printing Antagonistic Systems of Artificial Muscle Using Projection Stereolithography”, Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, 10 (5)
Abstract: The detailed mechanical design of a digital mask projection stereolithgraphy system is described for the 3D printing of soft actuators. A commercially available, photopolymerizable elastomeric material is identified and characterized in its liquid and solid form using rheological and tensile testing. Its capabilities for use in directly printing high degree of freedom (DOF), soft actuators is assessed. An outcome is the similar to 40% strain to failure of the printed elastomer structures. Using the resulting material properties, numerical simulations of pleated actuator architectures are analyzed to reduce stress concentration and increase actuation amplitudes.
Antagonistic pairs of pleated actuators are then fabricated and tested for four-DOF, tentacle-like motion. These antagonistic pairs are shown to sweep through their full range of motion (similar to 180 degrees) with a period of less than 70 ms.
Funding Acknowledgement: Air Force Office of Scientific Research [FA9550-15-1-0160]; NSF MRSEC program [DMR-1120296]; National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship [DGE-1144153]
Funding Text: This work was funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under Grant #FA9550-15-1-0160 and made use of the Cornell Center for Materials Research Shared Facilities which are supported through the NSF MRSEC program (DMR-1120296). This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant No. DGE-1144153.