Endurance Test Rig for Twisted String Actuators

Above all, the advantages of compact design, low weight, low noise, and low cost make a Twisted Sting Actuator (TSA) very attractive for a variety of applications in robotics and mechatronics. However, the endurance of TSAs is not adequately known yet. For this purpose, this paper presents a test rig performing a weight lifting task to investigate the efficiency and endurance of TSAs. Both TSA configuration, variable and fixed twisting zones, can be investigated. A DC-motor (2657W024CR (51 mNm rated torque at 5060 min(exp -1)), Faulhaber, Schönaich, DE with IE3-1024 incremental encoder) drives the strings. The angle of rotation of the motor can be controlled with a microcontroller. The system is capable of determining the lifting work, efficiency, and the number of strokes until failure using high-resolution measurement equipment.