Design Optimization for an Electro-Thermally Actuated Polymeric Microgripper

TL;DR

This paper presents the design, simulation, and preliminary testing of SU-8 polymer-based electro-thermally actuated microgrippers capable of precise manipulation with low actuation voltages.

Contribution

It introduces a new SU-8 polymer microgripper with optimized electro-thermal design, validated through finite element simulations and initial experiments.

Findings

Successful design optimization using finite element analysis

Microgrippers operate at low actuation voltages

Preliminary tests confirm functional movement

Abstract

Thermal micro-actuators are a promising solution to the need for large-displacement, gentle handling force, low-power MEMS actuators. Potential applications of these devices are micro-relays, assembling and miniature medical instrumentation. In this paper the development of thermal microactuators based on SU-8 polymer is described. The paper presents the development of a new microgripper which can realize a movement of the gripping arms with possibility for positioning and manipulating of the gripped object. Two models of polymeric microgripper electrothermo- mechanical actuated, using low actuation voltages, designed for SU-8 polymer fabrication were presented. The electro-thermal microgrippers were designed and optimized using finite element simulations. Electro-thermo-mechanical simulations based on finite element method were performed for each of the model in order to compare the results. Preliminary experimental tests were carried out.