A Compliant Mechanism Kit with Flexible Beams and Connectors

We present the concept, prototypes, and an optimal design\ud method for a compliant mechanism kit as a parallel\ud to the kits available for rigid-body mechanisms. The kit\ud consists of flexible beams and connectors that can be\ud easily hand-assembled using snap fits. It enables users,\ud using their creativity and mechanics intuition, to quickly\ud realize a compliant mechanism. The mechanisms assembled\ud in this manner accurately capture the essential\ud behavior of the topology, shape, size and material aspects\ud and thereby can lead the way for a real compliant\ud mechanism for practical use. Also described in this paper\ud are the design of the connector to which flexible\ud beams can be added in eight different directions; and\ud prototyping of the spring steel connectors as well as\ud beams using wire-cut electro discharge machining.\ud It is noted in this paper that the concept of the kit also\ud resolves a discrepancy in the finite element (FE)\ud modeling of beam-based compliant mechanisms. The\ud discrepancy arises when two or more beams are joining\ud at one point and thus leading to increased stiffness. After\ud resolving this discrepancy, this work extends the topology\ud optimization to automatically generate designs that\ud can be assembled with the kit. Thus, the kit and the accompanying analysis and optimal synthesis procedures\ud comprise a self-contained educational as well as a research\ud and pragmatic toolset for compliant mechanisms.\ud The paper also illustrates how human creativity finds\ud new ways of using the kit beyond the original intended\ud use and how it is useful even for a novice to design\ud compliant mechanisms