TY - JOUR M1 - Copyright 2005, IEE TI - A superelastic alloy microgripper with embedded electromagnetic actuators and piezoelectric force sensors: a numerical and experimental study AD - Microsystem Res. Center, Korea Inst. of Sci. Technol., Seoul, South Korea JO - Smart Materials and Structures T3 - Smart Mater. Struct. (UK) A1 - Deok-Ho Kim A1 - Moon Gu Lee A1 - Byungkyu Kim A1 - Yu Sun VL - 14 IS - 6 PY - 2005/12/ U1 - 8622376 SP - 1265 EP - 72 SN - 0964-1726 CY - UK PB - IOP Publishing N2 - This paper presents the analysis, design, and characterization of a superelastic alloy (NiTi) microgripper with integrated electromagnetic actuators and piezoelectric force sensors. The microgripper, fabricated by electro-discharge machining, features force sensing capability, large force output, and large displacements to accommodate objects of various sizes. The design parameters for the embedded electromagnetic actuators were selected on the basis of finite element sensitivity analysis. In order to make the microgripper capable of resolving gripping forces, piezoelectric force sensors were fabricated and integrated into the microgripper. The performance of the microgripper, the integrated force sensors, and the electromagnetic actuators was experimentally evaluated. A satisfactory match between experimental results and finite element simulations was obtained. Furthermore, comparison studies demonstrated that the superelastic alloy (NiTi) microgripper was capable of producing larger displacement than a stainless steel microgripper. Finally, experimental results of optical fiber alignment and the manipulation of tiny biological tissues with the superelastic microgripper were presented KW - electrical discharge machining KW - electromagnetic actuators KW - finite element analysis KW - force sensors KW - grippers KW - micromanipulators KW - nickel alloys KW - piezoelectric transducers KW - superplasticity KW - titanium alloys U2 - superelastic alloy microgripper U2 - electromagnetic actuators U2 - piezoelectric force sensors U2 - electro discharge machining U2 - finite element sensitivity analysis U2 - gripping forces U2 - stainless steel microgripper U2 - optical fiber alignment U2 - tiny biological tissues manipulation L2 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0964-1726/14/6/019 ER -