Quadcopter Universal Gripper Accessory

grabcad

This quadcopter accessory, inspired by Cornell and U. Chicago, features a universal gripper and modified landing gear with retractable legs powered by a motor. The gripper is a soft balloon shape filled with granular material for picking up various objects. A pump at the base of the gripper arm sucks air out, stiffening the material to securely hold items. This design was made in Autodesk Fusion 360 and is intended for use in construction and repair tasks in hazardous conditions. The gripper's unique design takes advantage of 3D printing capabilities. The soft landing gear uses Objet Connex materials with living hinges, adjustable flexibility through resin mix ratios. Assembly simplification reduces manufacturing costs by combining parts like the pump's tubing and gripper arm. Autodesk Project Dreamcatcher optimizes the gripper arm's branching structure for lightweight strength. The granular material is printed with a hard and soft material microstructure, surpassing traditional coffee grounds. This universal gripper showcases 3D printing's strengths, providing a practical and impactful design.