3D printing of multimaterial gripper for tunable rigidity and shape conformance

In the field of 3D printing, soft robotics have made remarkable progress, yet certain applications face limitations due to constraints in fine control and gripping force. These limitations hinder their effectiveness in handling a wide range of objects and tasks, restricting their potential in various industrial and assistive applications. In this project, a 3D-printed multimaterial gripper with tunable rigidity and shape conformance that overcomes the limitations of previous soft grippers is proposed. The gripper design leverages the unique properties of conductive polylactic acid (CPLA) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) to create a versatile gripping tool. The CPLA sections of the gripper can be heated using resistive heating, allowing for rigidity tuning and customized actuation, while the TPU sections provide flexibility and conformance to the object being gripped. The developed gripper has demonstrated exceptional fatigue resistance, withstanding 500 cycles with minimal changes in performance, and has proven its performance by successfully grasping objects of diverse sizes, weights, and shapes – from small screws weighing a few grams to large 1.5kg weights. These results showcase the multimaterial gripper's ability to selectively adapt its gripping modes according to the geometry and size of the object being handled. This novel approach paves the way for the development of versatile, efficient gripping tools with promising applications across robotics, prosthetics, and numerous industrial settings.Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering