DESIGN CONCEPT FOR TONG GRIPPERS FOR AUTOMATED MICRO-ASSEMBLY

摘要

In this paper a design concept for tong grippers for micro-parts is presented which allows the quick development of adapted grippers for automated micro-assembly processes. This concept is demonstrated by several gripper prototypes. They consist of a flexure hinge structure made of metal which acts as guiding device for the gripping jaws and as the gripping jaws themselves. This structure ensures a very precise movement of the jaws since stick slip effects in the guiding device are avoided. The actuation is done by force generating actuators like moving coil, magnetic or pneumatic piston actuators. The use of a frictionless elastic guiding device in addition to mostly frictionless actuators guarantees a high precision of the jaw movement as well as a very precisely adjustable gripping force. The concept covers the design of the flexure hinge structure, the design of the actuators and the coupling of actuator and flexure hinge structure. Using this design concept several grippers have been realized and tested in experimental evaluations where they proved their reliability and the fulfillment of the given specifications thus verifying the correctness of the design concept.