TY - JOUR

T1 - Automated Fabrication of Elastomeric Prepregs for Soft Robotics Applications

AU - Wienzek, Tristan

AU - Seibel, Arthur

N1 - Funding Information: The authors thank Doruk Utkan, Vignesh Venkatachalam, and Mert Yildiz for their assistance during prepreg production. The authors also thank Lars Schiller for his support in the fatigue experiments. Publisher Copyright: © 2019 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

PY - 2020/4/1

Y1 - 2020/4/1

N2 - Fluidic elastomer soft robots typically consist of a top and a strain-limiting bottom part. Both parts are usually cast and then glued together. Elastomeric prepregs, which can be stored at low temperatures for several months without significant cross-linking, simplify this manufacturing process. A cured top part of an arbitrary shape is placed on the wet prepreg, which later forms the strain-limiting layer, and the actuator is finally cured in an oven. Herein, a machine is designed and developed that automatically produces prepregs. Three different concepts are realized in a modular prototype: direct roller application, reverse roller application, and application with slot dies. Experiments show that the direct and the reverse roller application concepts are both suitable for the automated production of prepregs, where the latter one may be preferred due to the smaller number of contact surfaces. Three different textiles (polyester/cotton-blended fabric, nylon fabric, and fleece) are impregnated with the reverse roller application concept using Sylgard 184 and stored at −25 °C for 12 days. Using these prepregs, soft bending actuators are manufactured and tested for their functionality. Long-term fatigue tests show that only actuators produced with fleece prepregs are durable, without any signs of delamination.

AB - Fluidic elastomer soft robots typically consist of a top and a strain-limiting bottom part. Both parts are usually cast and then glued together. Elastomeric prepregs, which can be stored at low temperatures for several months without significant cross-linking, simplify this manufacturing process. A cured top part of an arbitrary shape is placed on the wet prepreg, which later forms the strain-limiting layer, and the actuator is finally cured in an oven. Herein, a machine is designed and developed that automatically produces prepregs. Three different concepts are realized in a modular prototype: direct roller application, reverse roller application, and application with slot dies. Experiments show that the direct and the reverse roller application concepts are both suitable for the automated production of prepregs, where the latter one may be preferred due to the smaller number of contact surfaces. Three different textiles (polyester/cotton-blended fabric, nylon fabric, and fleece) are impregnated with the reverse roller application concept using Sylgard 184 and stored at −25 °C for 12 days. Using these prepregs, soft bending actuators are manufactured and tested for their functionality. Long-term fatigue tests show that only actuators produced with fleece prepregs are durable, without any signs of delamination.

KW - automated fabrication

KW - elastomeric prepregs

KW - fluid-driven robots

KW - impregnation mechanisms

KW - soft robotics

KW - Engineering

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85075985107&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/adem.201900854

DO - 10.1002/adem.201900854

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:85075985107

VL - 22

JO - Advanced Engineering Materials

JF - Advanced Engineering Materials

SN - 1438-1656

IS - 4

M1 - 1900854

ER -