Type:

Year:

Editor:

Author:

Series:

Institution:

Section:

Page(s):

DOI number:

ISSN:

Abstract:

The production of reusable gecko-inspired dry adhesives has traditionally been done with complex nanofabrication methods such as lithography and PDMS casting. This article presents a way of producing and testing dry adhesive samples using consumer-grade AM machines and equipment typically available in a Makerspace. The samples produced exhibit adhesive properties depending on the preload and surface structure, and we conclude that consumer-grade AM is suitable for rapid prototyping and testing of dry adhesion. However, it is limited by the scale and accuracy compared to traditional methods.

Keywords:

additive manufacturing, biomimicry (biomimetics), dry adhesion, open source design, 3D printing