A high force miniature gripper fabricated via shape deposition manufacturing

This paper presents a new miniature gripper design, suitable for endoscopic surgery and similar applications. The gripper is based on a mechanism fabricated in-situ via a rapid prototyping process that permits multiple materials and the addition of embedded components. The gripper is actuated using a tuned vibrating mass and impact mechanism. The mechanism relies on close tolerances and clearances, obtained by depositing and subsequently removing thin films of sacrificial material. The gripper design and fabrication process are scalable, and future versions of the gripper can be made at a fraction of the size of the first 15 mm prototype without incurring manufacturing difficulty. Tests on the first prototype reveal the importance of controlling friction and preload at the sliding interface.