A Robotic System for Automated Manufacturing of Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

2026-07-31

AI Summary

This study addresses the low efficiency and poor consistency in the fabrication of dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs), particularly during dielectric film formation and electrode patterning. To overcome these challenges, this work proposes a robotic automation system that integrates spin-coating for dielectric layer deposition with an automated stamping process for carbon nanotube (CNT) electrode patterning, enabling fully automated, precise stacking of multilayer DEAs. Using this approach, twenty samples—each comprising twelve dielectric layers (average thickness 55.37 ± 2.04 μm) and eleven alternating CNT electrodes—were successfully fabricated. The method reduces total processing time by 14.2% and decreases manual intervention by 56.1%, significantly enhancing manufacturing consistency and reproducibility.

Abstract

This letter presents an automated robotic manufacturing system for soft capacitors which operate as actuators and sensors. Emphasis is placed on the two processes that most directly govern device quality, dielectric layer formation by spin coating and carbon nanotube (CNT) electrode application by stamping. Twenty multilayer DEAs, each comprising 12 dielectric layers with a mean thickness of 55.37 +- 2.04 um and 11 alternating CNT electrodes, were fabricated reducing total process time by 14.2% and removing the operator from 56.1% of it.

Problem

• Dielectric Elastomer Actuators
• Automated Manufacturing
• Soft Robotics
• Carbon Nanotube Electrodes
• Spin Coating

Innovation

• robotic manufacturing
• dielectric elastomer actuators
• spin coating
• carbon nanotube electrodes
• automation