Evaluating the performance of soft pneumatic gripper mechanism through FE analysis

The present study delves into Finite Element (FE) analysis of a soft pneumatic gripper for robotic application. The modeling techniques represent the soft pneumatic gripper, incorporating diverse structural designs using soft materials. Soft materials such as TPU, PEBA, and TPE are Hyperelastic and integrated into the gripper model to evaluate their effects on performance. Three different mesh techniques, including automatic meshing, tetrahedral mesh, and hex-dominant mesh method, are evaluated and the most effective method is subsequently implemented for all the gripper models. Pressure ranging from 100 kPa, incrementing in 25 kPa intervals, is applied to the model under suitable boundary conditions. This facilitated the simulation of real-world scenarios, allowing for analysis of stress distribution and deformation across different structural configurations. TPU exhibits higher levels of deformation compared to PEBA, and TPE. Further analysis explored gripper designs, focusing on chamber width, which aims at enhancing contact area when pressure is exerted. It is observed that smaller chamber widths provide the most deformation when pressure is applied. This study underscores the critical role of material selection, mesh selection, and gripper design in enhancing the performance and durability of soft pneumatic grippers. These insights offer valuable guidance for future endeavours in design and optimisation within the realms of industrial automation and soft robotics gripper applications.