Zillen E, van der Windt B, Vallery H, Smit G. 3D-printing allows for fluid-controlled linear actuators with unconventional shapes.
Heliyon 2024;
10:e26497. [PMID:
38434412 PMCID:
PMC10907517 DOI:
10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26497]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background
Pneumatic actuators are widely used in applications like (medical) robots, or prostheses. Pneumatic actuators require a complex manufacturing process and are produced in standardized dimensions to reduce costs. Over the last decade 3D-printing has emerged as a cost-effective and efficient production method in medical applications. 3D-printing can also function as a cost-efficient alternative production method for pneumatic actuators.
Objective
The goal of this research is to study the possibility of creating a pneumatic linear actuator with 3D-printing. Furthermore, the aim is to use the advantage of 3D-printing to create pneumatic actuators with non-circular cross-sections.
Methodology
To evaluate the performance of a 3D-printed pneumatic actuator, a test setup was designed and built to measure the leakage and sliding friction force. Furthermore, two pneumatic actuators with a non-conventional cross-sectional shape were designed and their performance was tested and compared with a 3D-printed cylindrical pneumatic actuator, since these tests only ran once, the results are more a guideline. During the manufacturing of the cylinders, no post-processing techniques were used.
Results
The functioning of a 3D-printed circular pneumatic actuator was proven with low static leakage rates of 2.5%, low dynamic leakage rates of approximately 1%, and a maximum friction force of Image 1. Furthermore, the results show that it is possible to print functioning pneumatic cylinders with a non-cylindrical concave cross-section. The non-conventional cylinders were tested up to Image 2 with maximum dynamic leakage of Image 3.
Conclusion
This study demonstrates a method to create functional pneumatic linear actuators with 3D-printing. It was possible to create 3D-printed actuators with a conventional shape, e.g. circular and unconventional shapes e.g. stadium/oval shape and a kidney shape. The leak rates for conventional and unconventional shapes were in the same range. This opens up the world for more design freedom in pneumatic actuators.
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