Conductive compliant mechanisms: Geometric tuning of 3D printed flexural sensors

Additive manufacturing of thermoplastic conductive polymer composites offers interesting opportunities for customizing compliant flexural sensors. The study aimed to show that additive could be used fabricate sensors evaluating the effect sensor geometry on output. Prior literature has primarily focused material optimization rather than geometrical design. results this paper signal amplitude between geometrically different with same footprint can increase ∼28 times. In addition, bending force is found proportional amplitude. Thus, concentrating a small section increases but also relaxation broadening hysteresis loop. This highlights importance considering design when fine-tuning manufactured future work, it paramount improve reproducibility, linearity, and investigate effects other parameters.