Inverse Mold Core for Seamless Robotic Skin Fabrication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for fabricating realistic skin systems for robots are inefficient and costly, requiring significant manual labor to remove seams and ridges from the molding process, which compromises the visual realism and quality of the skin's exterior topography and features.
Innovation Solution
A digital 3D model of the target object is processed to create an inverse mold core with inverted topography, allowing for the direct formation of a skin with matching exterior surface features without seams, using techniques like dipping or injection molding to produce a skin with uniform or varying thicknesses, and optionally incorporating elastomeric actuation pieces for enhanced realism and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional molding methods are used to fabricate skin systems, then the skin can be formed with basic shape, but seams and ridges appear on the exterior surface compromising visual realism
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by creating a mold core with inverted (negative) topography instead of traditional positive molding. The core's exterior surface is formed as an inverse copy of the target object's surface, so when skin material is molded against it, the resulting skin has the correct positive topography without seams. This inverts the traditional approach where the mold directly creates the final surface geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-processing the digital 3D model to generate the inverted topography of the mold core before fabrication. The exterior surface of the core is deliberately designed as an inverse copy of the desired skin surface, anticipating and preventing seam formation before the molding process begins, rather than correcting seams after molding.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual processes are used to create skins, then customization is possible, but production time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical sculpting and molding processes with a digital workflow. A digital 3D model is processed computationally to generate the inverted core geometry, which is then fabricated using automated processes. This substitution of digital/automated systems for manual mechanical processes maintains customization capability while dramatically improving production efficiency and reducing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of how skin geometry is defined - from direct manual sculpting to computational inversion of digital models. By processing the digital 3D model to create an inverse copy for the mold core, the system transforms the design approach while maintaining adaptability to different skin designs and improving productivity through automation.
3Ease of manufacture
If connection points are made visible on the skin, then attachment to robotics is simplified, but visual realism is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nesting principle by embedding connection points within the interior surface of the skin rather than having them visible on the exterior. The mounting posts and connection features are nested inside the skin structure, attached to the interior surface that contacts the robotics, while the exterior surface maintains continuous, seam-free topology for visual realism.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method reduces production time by 20-30% while maintaining or improving the quality of fine details on the skin's exterior surface, eliminating the need for post-processing to remove seams and enhancing the realism of robotic skin systems.
Implementation Method 1
injecting skin-forming material in liquid form into the cavity, and, after the skin-forming material has hardened
Implementation Method 2
removing the hardened skin-forming material from the fabricated core
Data Source
AI summary
A method for fabricating an artificial skin system such as skin for use with a robotics assembly. The method includes forming or accessing a digital three dimensional (3D) model of an object. The digital 3D model defines a topography of an exterior surface of the object. The method includes processing the 3D model to generate a 3D model of a core, including defining an exterior surface of the core with a topography that is an inverse copy of the topography of the exterior surface of the object. The method includes fabricating the core based on the core model, whereby the core has an exterior surface corresponding to the exterior surface of the core model. The core is used in dipping processes or injection molding processes to form a skin in which the exterior surface is formed of material that abutted the inverse topography of the exterior surface of the core.