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3D Printing a three degrees of freedom force sensor

Welleweerd, M.K. (2017) 3D Printing a three degrees of freedom force sensor.

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Abstract:This thesis describes the development of a technique which enables single material printers to be utilized for the fabrication of sensors. In a single material print channels and voids are incorporated which later are infused with a conducting liquid. A three degree of freedom force sensor is modeled and designed which can be fabricated using this technique. The sensor consists of a clamped circular membrane with an inclusion. Structures are integrated in the membrane which can be used for both resistive and capacitive measurements. Normal forces acting on the top center of the inclusion are sensed by the resistive measurements and shear forces acting on the top center of the inclusion by the capacitive measurements. Several structures have been fabricated to characterize the different aspects of fabrication and the sensing principles developed in the model. The minimum channel and membrane size fabricated by the printer are determined. Two types of conductive liquids have been tested. Straight channels with interfacing have been printed and were infused with those liquids to analyze the resistances formed in the channels and the contact resistances formed with the interfacing. Beams have been printed with multiple strain gauges to characterize the resistive part of the modeled force sensor and the difference in sensitivity between two channel cross-sections has been analyzed.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:EEMCS: Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science
Subject:51 materials science, 52 mechanical engineering, 53 electrotechnology
Programme:Electrical Engineering MSc (60353)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/72039
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