A Dexterous soft gripper for handling soft fabric BRA cups

Abstract

The handling of sensitive and soft fabrics is a challenge in the textile industry. Typical mechanical gripping methods are incapable of handling soft fabrics without causing damage. In the context of automated sewing operations, the need for a gripping system that mimics human hands is crucial to the successful implementation. A potential solution for this is the use of soft compliant grippers. The apparel industry has yet to incorporate soft grippers into intimate apparel production, where automation is becoming increasingly necessary to handle delicate fabrics and bra cups. The sensitivity of these materials to mechanical contact and stresses has necessitated the development of innovative solutions. This study presents a novel approach to gripping breathable soft bra cups, using a pneumatically actuated three-chamber soft bending actuator with three independently controllable degrees of freedom. The three sections allow for independent actuation on a monolithic structure 3D printed from TPU. This design enables a gripper that can adapt its shape to the complex contours of a bra cup. Experiments evaluating the actuator’s flexural ability and blocking force showed a maximum bending angle of 34°, a vertical travel of 53mm, and a blocking force of 1.7 N at the tip at 0.7 MPa. The gripper developed using the proposed actuator was able to successfully grip and lift soft fabric bra cups without causing any damage to the fabric during the experimental evaluation under laboratory conditions.