Fabrication of pneumatic soft fingers taking into account material/process/design interaction

Abstract:
Soft robots derive their remarkable properties and performance from the characteristics of their constituent materials, silicones being widely represented in this field. Besides its very high stretch capacity, silicone has a complex behavior linked to solicitation speed and loading history. This paper presents a study of pneumatic finger behavior produced by a silicone injection molding and analysed through a comparative experimental and simulation analysis. The design of the finger is based on the particularities of the injection process, so that it can be produced in a reduced number of steps.