Preliminary Design of A Three-Finger Underactuated Adaptive End Effector With A Breakaway Clutch Mechanism
Preliminary Design of A Three-Finger Underactuated Adaptive End Effector With A Breakaway Clutch Mechanism
Preliminary Design of A Three-Finger Underactuated Adaptive End Effector With A Breakaway Clutch Mechanism
Paper:
Commercially available robotic grippers are often ex- lot of end effector designs utilize individual actuation of
pensive and not easy to modify for specific purposes each joint of the fingers with small high precision DC ser-
of robotics research and education. To extend the vomotors [8, c]. This ensures a high number of control-
choice of robotic end effectors available to researchers, lable degrees of freedom (DOF) suitable for grasping of
this paper presents the preliminary work on prototype complex shape objects. However, the presence of multi-
design and analysis of a three-finger underactuated ple actuators in each finger mechanism results in high cost
robotic end effector with a breakaway clutch mech- and control complexity of the end effector.
anism suitable for research in robot manipulation of A number of designs utilize pulley/tendon actuation
objects for industrial and service applications. Kine- mechanisms that are used for industrial and service
matic models of the finger and the breakaway clutch robotic systems [9, 10]. These mechanisms have advan-
mechanisms are analyzed aiming to define selection tages in terms of cost due to less number of actuators, have
criteria of design parameters. Grasping performance high degree of adaptability and are suitable for different
of the end effector prototype manufactured with a 3D applications. However, these designs have limitations in
printing technology and off-the-shelf components is load carrying capacity and wear resistance. Tendon excur-
evaluated using simulation and experimental analyses. sion must be taken into account during the design process.
Comparison with widely applied available robotic end As an alternative there are many studies reported in liter-
effectors shows the potential advantages of the pro- ature on different designs of underactuated artificial fin-
posed end effector design. gers based on mechanical linkage systems [b, d, e]. Above
mentioned end-effectors with mechanical linkage system
are complex in their manufacturing and have high number
Keywords: underactuated robotic end effector, gear train of miniature parts. Thus, there is a need for an end effec-
mechanism, breakaway clutch mechanism, 3D printing, tor, providing configurability for different range of grip-
adaptive grasping ping operations with high degree of wear and shock re-
sistance, relatively high payload, simple control systems,
and simple mechanical structure [11].
1. Introduction Applications of adaptive mechanical system concepts
to design of robotic devices were recently studied in [12].
Development of robotic end effectors that are employed The presented new design paradigms motivated the au-
for grasping of a variety of objects is an active research thors for this work. The use of mechanical linkage mech-
area. Various robotic end effectors were developed for anisms in finger design was one of the design criteria to
wide range of applications where reproducing the hu- provide relatively high payload carrying capacity com-
man hand functionality is desired [1, 2, a]. In most of paring to tendon driven systems. Another important de-
industrial and service applications manipulation of ob- sign criteria was to use additive manufacturing and sim-
jects with anthropomorphic robotic hands is not required ple units for end effector mechanical structure allowing
and two- or three-finger robot end effectors are sufficient further modification of the proposed design according to
for grasping [3]. Examples of such end-effector designs specific purposes. Additive manufacturing, or 3D print-
are a microgripper with piezo-actuator for handling very ing, is rapidly maturing with unlimited application poten-
small objects with complex or flexible shapes [4], an in- tial. Integration of the 3D printing technology in prod-
telligent robotic gripper for accurate electronic connector uct development process can give the possibility to built
mating [5], a combined gripper with a cutting tool [6] for products with lighter weight and lower cost but still retain
sweet pepper harvesting, a three-finger pneumatically ac- adequate stability and performance [13].
tuated gripper [7], and an adaptive three-finger robot grip- Robotics research and education have gained signifi-
per [b] for use in unstructured industrial applications. A cant attention in recent years due to increased develop-
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Address:
53 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue, Astana, Kazakhstan
Brief Biographical History: Address:
2012 Received B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering (Aeronautics) 53 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue, Astana, Kazakhstan
from University Technology of Malaysia
Brief Biographical History:
2014 Received M.Sc. degree in Mechanics from Gumilyov Eurasian
2001 Received Engineer’s degree from Pavlodar State University
National University
2004 Received Candidate’s degree in Technical Sciences (Ph.D.) from
2015- Instructor, Department of Robotics and Mechatronics, Nazarbayev
Pavlodar State University
University
2009 Received Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Electronics from
Main Works: University of Liverpool
• robotics, mechanical design, underactuated mechanisms 2011- Assistant Professor, Department of Robotics and Mechatronics,
Nazarbayev University
Main Works:
• robotic/mechatronic system design and computation intelligence
Membership in Academic Societies:
• The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Robotics
and Automation Society