AM of compliant mechanisms

The recent advent of Additive Manufacturing (AM) has fundamentally changed the way we manufacture things. From design to tooling to replacement parts, additive manufacturing affected most areas of engineering. However, its impact on the field of robotics is just beginning to be felt.

Designing, fabricating and assembling articulated robots is a long and complex process. The clever application of AM can, however, overcome part of these difficulties. For example, robots with lower part counts can be designed specifically for AM, requiring little or no assembly operations. Furthermore, compliant joints can be used to replace traditional multi-part revolute or linear joints. Finally, the local tuning of material properties is now possible, thanks to the advent of new machines allowing fabrication with multiple materials and long-fibre composites. These possibilities open the way for integrated, high-performance monolithic robotic systems.

This project aims to rethink the way we currently design and make robots by developing new approaches for their implementation, taking advantage of the possibilities of AM.