Manufacturing and underwater cyclic behavior of different types of twisted and coiled artificial muscles (TCAMs)

Sean Maxson; Parth Kotak; Thilina Weerakkody; Caterina Lamuta

doi:10.1016/j.mfglet.2024.03.003

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Manufacturing and underwater cyclic behavior of different types of twisted and coiled artificial muscles (TCAMs)

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Manufacturing and underwater cyclic behavior of different types of twisted and coiled artificial muscles (TCAMs)

Sean Maxson, Parth Kotak, Thilina Weerakkody and Caterina Lamuta

Manufacturing letters, Vol.40, pp.75-80

07/2024

DOI: 10.1016/j.mfglet.2024.03.003

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Abstract

Twisted and Coiled Artificial Muscles (TCAMs) are a recently developed class of artificial muscles manufactured from inexpensive polymer fibers that possess the characteristic of anisotropic volume expansion. Supercoiling these fibers produces a helical geometry which can be altered electrothermally to produce an axial contraction. In this work we demonstrate a manufacturing process using off-the-shelf components to automate the process of manufacturing and produce TCAMs with repeatable performance characteristics utilizing two methods of production: self-coiling and mandrel-coiling. This manufacturing system also facilitates the production of TCAMs in a wide range of sizes and greatly improves the success rate for producing useable samples when compared to current methods. In addition, we investigate the suitability of various polymer fibers for use in manufacturing of TCAMs through cyclic testing in simulated environments and find that nylon 6 and polyvinyl difluoride offer an attractive blend of repeatable performance and suitability in a variety of simulated environmental conditions.

Artificial muscles

Coiled artificial muscles

Fatigue

Freezing conditions

Manufacturing

Underwater

Details

Title: Subtitle: Manufacturing and underwater cyclic behavior of different types of twisted and coiled artificial muscles (TCAMs)
Creators: Sean Maxson - University of Iowa
Parth Kotak - University of Iowa
Thilina Weerakkody - University of Iowa
Caterina Lamuta - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Manufacturing letters, Vol.40, pp.75-80
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
DOI: 10.1016/j.mfglet.2024.03.003
ISSN: 2213-8463
eISSN: 2213-8463
Grant note: DOI: 10.13039/100000185, name: DARPA, award: W911NF2110344-0011679424; DOI: 10.13039/100000006, name: ONR, award: N00014-22-1-2021, N00014-23-1-2116
Language: English
Date published: 07/2024
Academic Unit: Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
Record Identifier: 9984577034602771

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