A Shape-Adaptive Mechanism with SMP Jointed Panels-Preliminary Study

Abstract

Presented in this paper is a preliminary study on a rigid shape-adaptive panel system jointed with shape-memory polymer (SMP). This system is designed to provide a cover for a parallel robot to form an enclosed mechanism. The proposed design is an extension to a segmented rigid shape-adaptive panel system comprised of longitudinal telescopic sliding panels supported by a passive linkage mechanism. While the rigid shape-adaptive panel design can accommodate six degrees of freedom motion of the mechanism, it carries the deficit of voids among adjacent panels. The SMP joint serves to join adjacent segmented panels to maintain kinematic constraints, while preserving the shape-adaptive capabilities. This paper simulates the shape-adaptive capabilities of the SMP relative to the motions experienced in the rigid panel design. A control strategy and prototype for the SMP jointed panels were presented as a proof of concept and a methodology for shape morphing realization.