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Compliant and Robotic Systems (CARS) |
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Comply for the right reasons! |
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Compliant Mechanisms |
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· Compliant mechanisms are devices using elastic deformation of links for force, motion and/or energy transfer · Monolithic (Fully Compliant mechanisms have no rigid body joints (e.g., pins or sliders) · Partially compliant mechanisms can have rigid body joints · Friction, backlash, need for lubrication and assembly are all minimized/eliminated · Compliant mechanisms find applications in product design, aerospace and automotive applications, smart materials and structures, micro and nano technologies, precision machinery, micro surgery, mechanics of biological cells and biomolecules, and more.
· An approach is to design topology, shape, and size of fully or partially compliant mechanisms · Below are some pictures of fully/partially compliant mechanisms for prescribed nonlinear/non-smooth paths — they are synthesized using geometrically nonlinear frame and/or truss elements (rigid body links) with genetic algorithms wherein topology optimization is posed strictly in binary/discrete (0-1) form. That is, no intermediate material value is allowed. · We also use honeycomb continuum representation to disallow the appearance of checkerboards and point flexure pathologies that are prominent with rectangular cells and require additional ‘shielding’ methods for their removal. We get perfectly binary (0-1) solutions.
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Please browse through |
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Picture gallery below |
