A Soft Pneumatic Actuator with Integrated Deformation Sensing Elements Produced Exclusively with Extrusion Based Additive Manufacturing

In recent years, soft pneumatic actuators have come into the spotlight because of their simple control and wide range complex motions. To monitor deformation robotic systems, elastomer-based sensors are being used. However, embedding actuator modules by polymer casting is time consuming difficult to upscale. this study, it shown how a bending with an integrated sensing element can be produced using extrusion-based additive manufacturing method, e.g., fused deposition modeling (FDM). The advantage FDM against direct printing or robocasting significantly higher resolution ability print large objectives in short amount time. New, commercial launched, pellet-based printers able 3D thermoplastic elastomers low shore hardness that required for applications, avoid high pressure activation. A situ piezoresistive sensor was successfully printed styrene-based elastomer (TPS) developed TPS/carbon black (CB) composite. It has been demonstrated elements could actuator. findings study contribute extending applicability systems.