Abstract
Even with today's advanced technologies, it is difficult to build insect size mechanisms. This electrostatic suction device is in the class of millimeter size mechanisms larger than micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), but much smaller than ordinary mechanisms seen in our daily life. If technologies exist for building this class size of mechanisms, there will be a wide range of applications in military, medicine, manufacturing and many other areas. One of the difficulties to building millimeter size mechanisms is a lack of actuator technologies for miniaturization. Today's commonly used actuators for industrial automation such as electric motors, hydraulic actuators, and pneumatic actuators are not suited for miniaturization. This thesis introduces an experimental design and analysis of a miniature electrostatic suction device. Although the proposed suction device works for picking up various kinds of material objects, the functionality of the device was examined by testing its ability to pick up and release pieces of 5 mm x 5 mm size paper using electrostatic force generated from electrodes. The performance of the device is measured in the uni-polar and bi-polar orientation, with spacing of the electrodes at 4, 5, & 6.66 mm distances, and with and without insulating the electrodes with a polyethylene film. Results show that the device is able to pick up the paper in both orientations, however further testing and analysis of the suction device determined that the bi-polar orientation was able to function at lower input voltage than the case of the uni-polar orientation. Adding the polyethylene film to the electrode had minimal effect on the suction performance of the bi-polar suction device, but improved the suction performance for the uni-polar suction; although, speculations of the some results may possibly be due to the effects of static cling caused by residual surface charge of insulating type of materials. The electrode spacing has some degree of effect to the suction performance of the device resulting in more attempts per attachment.