| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2024 Annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium (SFF Symp 2024)
|
| Symposium
|
2024 Annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium (SFF Symp 2024)
|
| Presentation Title |
Integrating Automated Assembly and 3D Printing for the Manufacture of Miniature Pipe Inspection Robots |
| Author(s) |
Matthew Peter Shuttleworth, Mateusz Gora, Alexander James Brown, Elliott John Leslie, Damian Crosby, Lutong Li, Andrew Weightman, Robert Richardson, Robert William Kay |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Matthew Peter Shuttleworth |
| Abstract Scope |
Miniature robots consist of actuators, sensors and microprocessors combined into centimetre scale housing. In swarms they can have applications from infrastructure inspection to search and rescue. Traditionally, components are hand assembled and affixed using fasteners and wiring harnesses, applying design constraints, and limiting minimum size of potential devices. Through the hybridisation of multi-material 3D printing and an array of ancillary tools including grippers, clamps and screw delivery systems, this work demonstrates the ability for one machine to print and assemble, miniature robots without operator intervention. The footprint of the platform is minimised, while maintaining a 250 x 200mm build area by using an intelligent tool changing mechanism that enables inactive tools to be stored when not in use. Complex assembly operations can be performed by integrating repositionable grippers and a bed-mounted, rotatable clamp. These were used to manufacture a miniature pipe inspection robot, with 0.2mm precision. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Definite: Post-meeting proceedings |