Model-based prediction of the detachment of microspheres from dry-adhesive gripper surfaces by bending

The handling of delicate spherical microsamples for applications in research and development requires a technique that does not damage or influence the sample. A particularly gentle grasping method is the grasping with dry-adhesive microstructures. A dry adhesive structure is holding the object passively, so there is no external influence to upkeep the grip. Instead, it is necessary to have a controllable releasing mechanism. Such a releasing mechanism can be realised by changing the geometry of the gripping surface through bending. In this paper a simulation-based method is shown to calculate the grasping force in order to design a suitable gripper.