Design, Fabrication, and Testing of a Proprioceptive Electroadhesion Pad for Space Applications

<p>The purpose of this study is to design, analyze, and fabricate an electroadhesion mechanism with the goal of providing controlled electrostatic adhesion to objects with little known surface finish, of varying curvature, and different materials. The main purpose of the mechanism is that of ensuring a soft docking, controlled in closed loop, for attachment to large pieces of orbital debris. Other envisaged purposes for the mechanism are sample collection and manipulation in free-fall and in-situ analysis of cohesive forces in regolith at small bodies, such as asteroids or comets. Electrostatic finite element analysis was performed on various electroadhesion pad designs in order to compare field intensities. In order to obtain optimum surface adhesion, the use of Macro Fiber Composite (MFC) actuators were embedded on the electroadhesion pad. Fabrication methods involving the use of chemical etching process on copper clad composites were used in order to test the pads and determine the level of adhesion obtained. The design methods, fabrication techniques, and experimental results are presented.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis - Open Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Aerospace Engineering

Year

2015

Author dc:creator

• Saravia, Walter

• electroadhesion
• proprioceptive
• Aerospace Engineering

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.erau.edu/edt/244

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.erau.edu:edt-1243