Acoustic wave levitation: Handling of components

Apart from contact micromanipulation, there exists a large variety of levitation techniques among which standing wave levitation will be proposed as a way to handle (sub) millimetric components. This paper will compare analytical formulas to calculate the order of magnitude of the levitation force. It will then describe digital simulation and experimental levitation setup. Stable levitation of various components (cardboard, steel washer, ball, ceramic capacity, water droplet) was shown along 5 degrees of freedom: The only degree of freedom that could not be mastered was the rotation about the symmetry axis of the acoustic field. More importantly, the present work will show the modification of the orientation of the radial force component in the presence of an object disturbing the acoustic field. This property can be used as a new feeding strategy as it means that levitating components are spontaneously pushed toward grippers in an acoustic plane standing wave. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3594245]