Electrostatic tacking membrane assembly

An electrostatic tacking membrane assembly, comprising:

• a membrane made of an elastic material and having opposed top and bottom sides with one or more membrane electrical connectors disposed on the membrane;
• a plurality of electrostatic pads each having respective opposed first and second sides, wherein each of the electrostatic pads includes one or more respective pad electrical connectors disposed on or adjacent the respective second side for supplying electrical power to the respective first side;
• one or more tacking elements disposed on the bottom side of the membrane, wherein each of the one or more tacking elements is configured to be electrically heated;
• a plurality of first and second electrical leads disposed within or on the top side of the membrane and connected with the one or more membrane electrical connectors and the one or more tacking elements, respectively;
• and
• at least one of:
• (1) wherein the membrane includes a plurality of thick and thin regions presented on the bottom side of the membrane, wherein the thin regions are arranged in a hub-and-spoke pattern of spokes radiating from a hub region thereby defining the thick regions;
• (2) wherein the electrostatic pads have a generally trunco-triangular shape, and the repeating geometric pattern includes one or more hexagonal patterns that are overlapped or abutted with each other;
• (3) wherein the electrostatic pads have a generally trunco-rectangular shape, and the repeating geometric pattern includes one or more rectangular patterns that are overlapped or abutted with each other;
• (4) further comprising a plurality of inserts embedded or attached on the top side of the membrane, wherein each of the inserts is configured for fastenable engagement with an end effector;
• or
• (5) wherein each of the one or more tacking elements includes a respective micro-heater, and wherein each of the one or more tacking elements further includes a respective extending member configured to extend the respective micro-heater outward from the bottom side of the membrane.