Optimal Design of Microgripper

This paper presents a microgripper design and utilizes the topology optimum method to obtain larger output force and displacement. The goal of this study is to obtain the sharpest topology layout by simulation and computing. The difference between compliant mechanisms and traditional mechanisms is that compliant mechanisms have flexible pieces to transmit force or deliver motion. When we apply different forces, we use the flexibility to generate expectably related effects to fulfil our special functional purposes. In addition, the shape obtained from topology optimal design can be further refined by shape optimization. This research combines insights from the topology optimum compliant mechanism and the piezoelectric microactuator to design a microgripper and to analyze the effects with different parameters in topology optimization