| dc.description.abstract |
Traditional part acquisition methods such as vacuum cups and robotic grippers do not meet the handling needs of truly fragile materials , because both of these methods require surface contact . An alternative to these traditional approaches is the use of air jet impingement for levitation . This technique confines impinged air to a thin disk above the target to form radial diffuser . The Bernoulli Effect causes a pressure difference between the fast -moving impinged air above the surface and ambient air below it . The net pressure difference is sufficient to lift objects weighing more than one kilogram using standard shop air . This method of lifting is self -stabilizing and the impinged surface is contacted only by air .
The analytical , numerical , and experimental results are presented for an end effector prototype constructed to test the impingement lift effect . A first -order analytical approximation is given based on convergent -divergent supersonic flow incorporating shockwave energy losses . A numerical simulation of the end effector was obtained using the computational fluid dynamic software , ANSYS CFX . The results show transonic air flow and the formation of large stationary structures . Two experiments were conducted to provide quantitative measurements of the actual pressure profiles realized and to relate the net force of the impinging jet as a function of the distance from the surface . The data shows a linear relationship between the input pressure and the maximum net lifting force . These experiments prove that a nozzle flange fixture powered by compressed air can be implemented as a material handling solution . |
en_US |