Influence of actuator morphology on grasping performance of soft robotic grippers in agriculture: simulation study

الملخص EN

Soft pneumatic actuators (SPAS) with tailored actuator morphology are extensively employed in precise agriculture for cultivating sensitive crops.

this study investigates the impact of varying the geometrical parameters of the elastomer finger, specifically the rib pitch (PR) and finger width (WF), on the spa bending variables, including deflection angle (Ø) and deflection along the x- and y-axis.

sample spas were fabricated to validate Yeoh’s 3rd-order model.

all designed molds used to cure the soft elastic finger (elastomer) were created on a 3D printer.

finite element analysis (FEA) was conducted by Ansys to analyze the impact of each geometrical parameter individually and continuously varied along the longitudinal axis.

the FEA results indicate a variation in the deflection angle from 13.01° to 108.50 °.

furthermore, the deflection along the x-axis ranges from 0.85 mm to-213.54 mm, while the y-axis varies from 32.55 mm to 148.45 mm.

the study demonstrates that the geometrical parameters of the elastomer finger significantly influence spa bending variables, with the rib pitch (PR) exerting a greater impact on the deflection angle than the finger width (WF).

the deflection on the x-axis exceeds that on the Y-axis.

the findings of this study can inform the design of spas with tailored actuator morphology and bending properties for precise agriculture applications.