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Hongchuan Zhang

Bio: Hongchuan Zhang is an academic researcher from South China University of Technology. The author has contributed to research in topics: Compliant mechanism & Topology optimization. The author has an hindex of 6, co-authored 19 publications receiving 171 citations.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A survey of the state-of-the-art design advances in this research area over the past 20 years is presented and can be helpful to those engaged in the topology optimization of compliant mechanisms who desire to be apprised of the field’s recent state and research tendency.

198 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work develops a cable-driven soft robotic gripper with multi-input and multi-output using topology optimization considering geometric nonlinearity, which not only performs adaptive grasping but also enables finer manipulations such as rotating or panning the target.
Abstract: Improving the functionality of soft continuum manipulators to expand their application space has always been an important development direction for soft robotics. It remains very challenging to calculate the deformations of soft materials and predict the basic structure of soft fingers under complex objective functions and constraints. This work develops a cable-driven soft robotic gripper with multi-input and multi-output using topology optimization considering geometric nonlinearity, which not only performs adaptive grasping but also enables finer manipulations such as rotating or panning the target. A scheme that can describe adaptive grasping behavior is proposed, which converts the contact between the clamping surface and the object into a boundary condition to circumvent complex contact nonlinearities. An additive hyperelasticity technique is used to overcome numerical instabilities, and the finite element analysis is performed in ANSYS. Numerical simulations and experimental results are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the optimization algorithm and to illustrate the application potential of the proposed gripper.

35 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This study designs robust bistable mechanisms with maximized differences between the reaction forces at the desired critical points using topology optimization using additive hyperelasticity technique to ensure the convergence of the nonlinear finite element problems.

24 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Inspired by origami kaleidocycles, a type of symmetric multistable compliant mechanism with an arbitrary number of units is presented and analyzed in this paper.
Abstract: Compliant kaleidocycles can be widely used in a variety of applications, including deployable structures, origami structures, and metamorphic robots, due to their unique features of continuous rotatability and multistability. Inspired by origami kaleidocycles, a type of symmetric multistable compliant mechanism with an arbitrary number of units is presented and analyzed in this paper. First, the basic dimension constraints are developed based on mobility analysis using screw theory. Second, the kinematic relationships of the actual rotation angle are obtained. Third, a method to determine the number of stabilities and the position of stable states, including the solution for the parameterized boundaries of stable regions, is developed. Finally, experimental platforms are established, and the validity of the proposed multistable mechanisms is verified.

21 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a flexural Lamina Emergent Spatial (LES) joint is proposed to decompose large spatial rotations by employing the combination of a Out-of-plane Rotational Part (ORP) and a In-plane Rotation Part (IRP).

19 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A survey of the state-of-the-art design advances in this research area over the past 20 years is presented and can be helpful to those engaged in the topology optimization of compliant mechanisms who desire to be apprised of the field’s recent state and research tendency.

198 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An overview of conventional manufacturing methods and novel additive manufacturing technologies for metallic lattice structures is presented in this article, where the design, optimization, a variety of properties, and applications of metallic-lattice structures produced by additive manufacturing are elaborated.
Abstract: Lattice structures, which are also known as architected cellular structures, have been applied in various industrial sectors, owing to their fascinated performances, such as low elastic modulus, high stiffness-to-weight ratio, low thermal expansion coefficient, and large specific surface area. The lattice structures fabricated by conventional manufacturing technologies always involve complicated process control, additional assembly steps, or other uncontrollable factors. Furthermore, limited types of unit cells can be used to construct lattice structures when using conventional processes. Fortunately, additive manufacturing technology, based on a layer-by-layer process from computer-aided design models, demonstrates the unique capability and flexibility and provides an ideal platform in manufacturing complex components like lattice structures, resulting in an effective reduction in the processing time to actual application and minimum of material waste. Therefore, additive manufacturing relieves the constraint of structure design and provides accurate fabrication for lattice structures with good quality. This work systematically presents an overview of conventional manufacturing methods and novel additive manufacturing technologies for metallic lattice structures. Afterward, the design, optimization, a variety of properties, and applications of metallic lattice structures produced by additive manufacturing are elaborated. By summarizing state-of-the-art progress of the additively manufactured metallic lattice structures, limitations and future perspectives are also discussed.

112 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A review of metamaterials and origami-based structures as well as their applications to vibration and sound control and possible future research directions are elaborated for this emerging and promising interdisciplinary research field.

86 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work develops a cable-driven soft robotic gripper with multi-input and multi-output using topology optimization considering geometric nonlinearity, which not only performs adaptive grasping but also enables finer manipulations such as rotating or panning the target.
Abstract: Improving the functionality of soft continuum manipulators to expand their application space has always been an important development direction for soft robotics. It remains very challenging to calculate the deformations of soft materials and predict the basic structure of soft fingers under complex objective functions and constraints. This work develops a cable-driven soft robotic gripper with multi-input and multi-output using topology optimization considering geometric nonlinearity, which not only performs adaptive grasping but also enables finer manipulations such as rotating or panning the target. A scheme that can describe adaptive grasping behavior is proposed, which converts the contact between the clamping surface and the object into a boundary condition to circumvent complex contact nonlinearities. An additive hyperelasticity technique is used to overcome numerical instabilities, and the finite element analysis is performed in ANSYS. Numerical simulations and experimental results are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the optimization algorithm and to illustrate the application potential of the proposed gripper.

35 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors reviewed the recent advances on performance indices, classification, structural composition, optimization and modeling method, and control of PEACM and provided a guideline on further development of the micro gripper.
Abstract: The piezoelectric-actuated compliant microgripper (PEACM) plays an essential role in the application fields such as biomedical engineering, microelectronics, and optical engineering. As compared with other categories of grippers, PEACM exhibits the advantages of high accuracy of displacement, large power to weight ratio, low energy consumption, and fast response speed. This paper reviews the recent advances on performance indices, classification, structural composition, optimization and modeling method, and control of PEACM. First, the gripper's performance indices and classifications are elaborated, which is beneficial to determine the design goal. Then, the compliant mechanisms adopted in the microgripper design are discussed, including the flexible hinge, displacement amplifier, and guiding mechanism. In addition, the optimization and modeling methods of the microgripper are presented. Popular types of position/force sensors and different displacement/force control strategies employed in the microgripper are surveyed. Moreover, the prospect on future development trend of the PEACM is discussed. The paper provides the reader with an overview of the recent advances on PEACM design and also a guideline on further development of the microgripper.

32 citations