Abstract
Abstract: Soft pneumatic actuators, made from elastomeric materials, play a vital role in handling sensitive and delicate items without causing damage. In this work, we explore a structured method for designing and controlling such actuators under a range of pressure conditions. Employing Finite Element Analysis (FEA), a 3D soft actuator is modeled and examined to see how it reacts to various pressure inputs. System identification techniques have been employed to identify the system model from simulated data, guaranteeing stability. Proportional Integral Derivative (PID), Fractional order PID (FOPID) and Model Predictive Controllers (MPC), are designed to manage the actuator's movements across pressure signals between 0 and 30 kPa in order to control free-space deformation. In the time-domain analysis and integral error comparison clearly show that FOPID gives better than the others. A prototype of the soft actuator is fabricated using Ecoflex 00-30 material, enabling real-time prediction and control of its grasp deformations through an FOPID-based electro-pneumatic control setup. The findings are validated by detailed experimental results that include specific data points and graphical representations of the actuator's response to revolutionize industries by offering precise and delicate manipulation capabilities.
DOI: 10.61416/ceai.v27i4.9479