The inchworm′s locomotion strategy has significantly influenced bionic robotics research, guiding efforts to mimic its structural and movement characteristics. This study introduces an innovative method to modulate horizontal friction in an inchworm-inspired robot using normal vibrations. By harnessing the dynamics between friction forces, self-deformation, and normal excitations, the robot can mimic crawling motion. A simplified mechanical model is established to reveal the robot′s movement. And the numerical simulations are conducted to analyze the influence of excitation and friction coefficients on the robot′s movement. The findings reveal that the robot′s velocity initially increases and then decreases as the excitation frequency increases, signifying the feasibility of achieving precise control through normal excitations. This study contributes to tribology and robotic locomotion paradigms.