Analysis staff : Maxence LEVEZIEL, Wissem HAOUAS, Michaël GAUTHIER, Guillaume J. LAURENT, Redwan DAHMOUCHE.

By Redwan Dahmouche

Pace and precision are two main points in robotics and in Business of the Future (also referred to as Business 4.0). Inside this framework, RoMoCo analysis staff of AS2M division at FEMTO-ST Institute has developed MiGriBot, a miniature robotic in a position to carry out 720 pick-and-place operations of sub-millimeter objects per minute. The outcomes of this analysis work have been revealed in Science Robotics.

These performances are made potential because of its structure, that permits it to grip and manipulate micro-objects barely seen to the bare eye (from 40 micrometers to a number of hundred micrometers). The truth is, the place different microrobots have a inflexible end-effector, MiGriBot is predicated on a precept with an articulated finish. This articulated finish permits to drive a microgripper with none wire or embedded actuator. The second benefit of this robotic is that each one its levels of mobility, together with those from the microgripper on the articulated finish, are operated from the bottom of the robotic, making its cellular components very light-weight. Lastly, its robotic construction occupies a floor of solely 20x20mm2. This stage of compactness is achieved through the use of Silicon for the inflexible parts, a polymer (Polydimethylsiloxane – PDMS) as versatile joints and piezoelectric actuators geared up with place sensors. MiGriBot is subsequently lighter, extra compact and quicker than current robotic micro-manipulators.

MiGriBot holding a cylindrical ruby with a diameter of 700µm and a thickness of 200µm.

Whereas the quickest industrial pick-and-place robots don’t exceed 250 cycles per minute, the mix of all of the options of this robotic: gentle joints, small footprint, built-in gripping, light-weight construction and closed-loop management of the quick actuators permits MiGriBot to achieve 720 pick-and-place operations per minute with about one micrometer accuracy. Within the blink of an eye fixed, MiGRiBot could have manipulated 5 micro-objects, which implies that it’s going to have approached, grabbed, moved and launched an object 5 occasions successively.

This robotic will likely be used to assemble Micro-Electro-Mechanical and Optical Methods (MEMS/MOEMS) used within the electronics trade, the place the manufacturing throughput is more and more excessive. Due to its velocity and compactness, greater than 2000 robots might be positioned in 1m2 to carry out multiple million operations per second. Growing work charges will enhance the productiveness and competitiveness of producers, which can encourage the relocation of manufacturing to Europe, America and international locations with excessive labor prices. Functions in watch trade, medical instrumentation, aerospace, and different fields are additionally potential.

MiGriBot holding one other parallel construction displaying the capability of the microrobot to govern heavy objects.

This work was funded by the ANR MiniSoRo mission (ANR-19-CE10-0004) and by Grand Besançon Métropole.

Analysis staff: Maxence LEVEZIEL, Wissem HAOUAS, Michaël GAUTHIER, Guillaume J. LAURENT, Redwan DAHMOUCHE (affiliate professor at université de Franche-Comté, mission chief and head of the analysis staff: redwan.dahmouche@univ-fcomte.fr).

tags: c-Analysis-Innovation, Manipulation