Design and application of compliant mini-grippers for handling chemicals

Abstract

In this paper we propose an original configuration of a compliant mini-gripper for handling chemicals. The compliant mini-gripper is 3D modeled and analyzed with finite element method. To use it in a wider range of containers designed for laboratories we made several variants of fasteners. In order to obtain a functional prototype in a scale appropriate to characterize the system, we determined the material properties of the gripper and developed an experimental stand for characterizing the system with mini-gripper. Finally, we compared the movements of the experimental grip, made according to the movement of the bellows type actuator, determined based on, analytical and numerical results.