Bistable SMA Vacuum Suction Cup

Shape memory alloy (SMA) materials represent an attractive technology in the field of actuator mechanisms for the realization of low cost and lightweight actuators and sensors. This article presents an innovative SMA actuated bistable vacuum suction cup. The sealed, compact and fully integrated design enables the positioning and transport of different components in mobile and stationary applications. The bistable actuator mechanism based on SMA wires combined with a bistable spring represent an energy efficient, noiseless gripping system without the need for compressed air. Fail-safe applications are enabled by the wattless sustained vacuum due to the bistable mechanism. Additionally, the self-sensing effect of the SMA enables a sensorless condition monitoring and energy efficient control. The gripping state is reported to the superordinate process control by the integrated electronics and visualized by the integrated LEDs.