Week 11: Soft Robotics

Materials:

• Ecoflex part A and B
• Neokasil part A and B
• release spra
• Oven
• 3D printed mold
• paint brush
• mixing vessel.

Creating the 3D mold:

I created a simple mold in Fusion360 and transferred iit into cura in order to 3D print it

Making the EcoFlex model:

When mixing Ecoflex it is important to keep the ratio of part A to part B at 1:1. Before the mixture can be poured into the mold it has to be coated with release spray. Make sure the EcoFlex hsa enough tie to dry because otherwise it could tear and your model could break. During the tutorial class we experimented with different colour dyes and molds. As the gripper also needs a sealing layer, prepare a thin layer of ecoflex on a paper plate. To make sure the EcoFlex dries completely it can be put in the oven at 70°C for about 15 minutes. When the ecoflex has completely cooled down glue the sealing layer onto the model by spreading a thin coat of ecoflex. Let this dry completely

Now that the model is sealed it can be transformed into a gripper by using a pump which has a motor so that air can be pumped in and suctioned out. It is attached to the model with a small needle