Design, testing, and simulation of NiTi shape-memory-alloy thin-film-based microgrippers

We present a way to fabricate microgrippers that can meet the industry's needs well, i.e., low cost and large tip deflection, etc. The microgripper is fabricated by bonding two identical micro NiTi-Si cantilever beams together with a silicon spacer in between. It can be actuated by electrical current directly. We have tested the behavior of micro NiTi-Si cantilever beams of three different sizes, and compared that with our simulation results. According to our simulation, the maximum strain and the maximum stress in NiTi should enable the grippers to survive after 106 cycles. Due to the simple fabrication process, this design is very suitable for batch production at low cost, which is a significant advantage in both medical and manufacturing industries