Description
In the last several years many improvements of tools for handling and assembling of microparts (between 10 and 500 µm) have been made. This chapter will discuss the development and realization of electrostatic microgrippers and magazine structures and mechanical microgrippers as well as their performance. The gripping forces and quick discharging techniques of the electrostatic devices were optimized. Concerning the mechanical gripping structures, several actuation principles, such as shape memory alloys, pneumatic drives and thermal expansion actuators, were optimized and integrated into flexible gripper gearings. These grippers and magazine structures, as well as pneumatically driven auxiliary microtools (such as centrifugal microfeeders and active clamping devices), can be used as supplement handling devices for desktop factories.
