A Bio-Inspired Approach to Grab Design

Abstract

Engineers typically design heavy and powerful tools for the use of bulk transfer. High forces are needed to penetrate and to propagate into the bulk. Especially when using a grab, a reduction of mass is desirable. In the conventional approach an optimization problem is encountered as a further reduction in mass reduces the grabs ability to propagate into the bulk and fill itself effectively. To avoid this trade-off a different approach is required.
In nature, there are organisms capable of burrowing into substrates, such as mud or sand, without the use of high forces. The aim of this work is to find and evaluate a new digging mechanism for the use in a grab, using a bio-inspired approach. The new digging mechanism is evaluated in order to make weight reduction possible, while maintaining the digging properties of the grab. The most important parameters of the new principle are evaluated by a series of experiments. The results of the experiments look promising to apply in a grab. Several potential concepts are discussed.