PDMS-based dual-channel pneumatic microactuator using sacrificial molding fabrication technique

Abstract

This paper presents a novel polydimethylsiloxane-based dual-channel bellows-structured pneumatic actuator, fabricated through sacrificial molding technique. A finite element analysis was performed to find the optimum structure and analyze the bending performance of the square-bellows actuator. The actuator was fabricated using acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene-based sacrificial mold to form the channel and bellow structures with an overall actuator size of 5 × 5 × 27.6 mm3. The experimental validation has revealed that the actuator attained a smooth bi-directional bending motion with maximum angles of -25° and 35° and force of -0.168 and 0.212 N under left and right channel actuation, respectively, at 100 kPa pressure. Hence, the state-of-the-art dual channels square-bellows actuator was able to achieve an optimum bi-directional bending with low input pressure, which would push the boundaries of soft robotics towards the development of more safe and flexible robotic surgical tools.