MODULE 2

Robot end Effectors

Dr V S Krushnasamy
 End Effector
• An end effector is a device that attaches to the wrist of the robot arm
and enables the general purpose robot to perform specific task.
• Most robot manufacturers have special engineering groups whose
function is to design end effectors.
• The end effectors are also called the grippers. There are various types
of end-effectors to perform the different work functions.
• An end-effector of any robot can be designed to have several fingers ,
joints and degrees of freedom.
• The general end-effectors can be grouped according to the type of
grasping as follows:
1. Mechanical fingers.
2. Special tools.
3. Universal fingers.
 End Effector
• Mechanical fingers are used to perform some special tasks.
Gripping by mechanical type fingers is less versatile and less
dexterous than holding by universal fingers as the grippers
with mechanical fingers have fewer number of joints and
lesser flexibility.
 GRIPPERS
• Grippers are end effectors used to grasp and hold objects.
• The objects are generally work parts that are to be moved by the
robot.
• These part-handling applications include machine loading and
unloading, picking parts from a conveyor and arranging parts into
a pallet.
• There are grippers to hold tools like welding gun or spray painting
gun to perform a specific task. The robot hand may hold a
deburring tool.
• The grippers of the robot may be specialized devices like RCC
(Remote Centre Compliance) to insert an external mating
component into an internal member.
CLASSIFICATION OF GRIPPERS:

1. Mechanical grippers.
2. Magnetic grippers.
3. Vacuum grippers.
4. Adhesive grippers.
5. Hooks, scoops and other miscellaneous
devices.
 Mechanical grippers

 A mechanical gripper is an end-effector that uses

mechanical fingers actuated by a mechanism to grip an
object.
 The fingers of the gripper will actually make contact with
the object.
 The fingers may be attached to the mechanism or integral
part of the mechanism.
 The application of interchangeable mechanism can allow
wear different sets of fingers for use with the same gripper
mechanism can be designed to accommodate different part
of models.
 Mechanical gripper mechanism
 There are many ways to classify the gripper
actuating mechanism.
 The one of the common way of finding the
movement of the gripper is by fingers.
 In this classification, the grippers can actuate the
opening and closing of the fingers by the
following two motions.
1. Pivoting movement.
2. Linear or translation movement.
 Pivoting movement:
 In pivoting movement, the fingers rotate about
fixed pivot points on the gripper to close and
open.
 This motion is usually accomplished by some
kind of linkage mechanism.
 Linear movement or translation
movement:
 In linear movement, the fingers open and close by
moving in parallel to each other
 This is accomplished by means of guide rails so that
each finger base slides along a guide rail during
actuation.
 The translational finger movement might also be
accomplished by means of a linkage which would
maintain the fingers in parallel orientation to each
other during actuation.
Cam Actuated Gripper Mechanism
Cam Actuated Gripper Mechanism
• The cam and follower arrangement, often use
a spring-load follower, can provide the
opening and closing action of the gripper.
• The advantage of this arrangement is that the
spring action would accommodate different
sized object.
Screw type actuation gripper
 Screw Type Actuation Gripper
• In a screw type actuation gripper , the screw is
turned by a motor, usually accompanied by a
speed reduction mechanism.
• Due to the rotation of the screw, the threaded
block moves, causing the opening and closing
of the fingers depending on the direction of
rotation of the screw.
Translation gripper mechanism
 Translational Gripper Mechanism
 Transnational mechanism is widely used in
industrial robot.
 The fingers motion corresponds to the piston
movement without any connecting mechanism
between them.
 The disadvantage is that it is difficult to design
the desired size of the gripper, because here the
actuator size decides the gripper size.
Swing block mechanism
 Swing Mechanism
 Figure illustrates the swinging gripper mechanism
that uses piston-cylinder.
 The sliding rod 1 actuated by the pneumatic piston
transmits motion by way of the two symmetrically
arranged swing-block linkage 1-2-3-4 and 1-2-3’-4’.
 This linkage 1-2-3-4 and 1-2-3’-4’ are used to grasp
or release the object by means of the subsequent
swinging motions of links 4 and 4’ at their pivots F1
and F2.
 OTHER TYPES OF GRIPPERS
In addition to mechanical grippers there are a variety
of other devices that can be designed to lift and hold
objects.
Included among these other types of grippers are
the following:
1. Vacuum cups
2. Magnetic grippers
3.Adhesive grippers
4. Hooks, scoops, and other miscellaneous devices
 MAGNETIC GRIPPER
 Generally magnetic grippers are used
extensively on ferrous material.
 The residual magnetism remaining in the
workpiece may cause problem.
 The magnetic attraction will tend to penetrate
beyond the top sheet in the stack resulting in
the possibility that more than a single sheet
will be lifted by magnet.
 Advantages

1. Variations in part size can be tolerated.

2. Pickup times are very fast
3. They have ability to handle metal parts with
holes.
4. Only one surface is needed for gripping.
 Disadvantages
 Disadvantages with magnetic grippers include the residual
magnetism remaining in the workpiece which may cause a
problem in subsequent handling, and the possible side
slippage and other errors which limit the precision of this
means of handling.
 Another potential disadvantage of a magnetic gripper is
the problem of picking up only one sheet from a stack.
 The magnetic attraction tends to penetrate beyond the top
sheet in the stack, resulting in the possibility that more
than a single sheet will be lifted by the magnet.
Electromagnetic gripper
 EM GRIPPER
 Electromagnetic grippers are easy to control but
it needs a source of D.C power and an
appropriate controller.
 When the part is to be released, the control unit
reverses the polarity at a reduced power level
before switching off electromagnet.
 This will cancel the residual magnetism in the
workpiece ensuring a positive release of the
part.
Permanent Magnet Gripper
 Permanent Magnet Gripper
 Permanent magnet do not require external power.
 When the part is to be released at the end of handling cycle, in
case of permanent magnet grippers, some means of separating
the part from the magnet must be provided.
 The device which separates the part is called a stripper or
stripping device which is shown in Fig.
 Its function is to mechanically detach the part from the
magnet.
 It does not need external source of power and can work in
hazard own environment.
 It reduces the fear of spark which might cause ignition.
 VACUUM GRIPPERS
 Vacuum grippers are also called as suction cups, that can be
used for handling certain type of objects.
 Vacuum grippers can handle only flat, smooth, clean
conditioned
objects to form a satisfactory vacuum between the object and the
suction cup.
 The vacuum gripper’s suction cup is made of elastic material
such as rubber or soft plastic.
 While designing some means of removing the air between the
cup and the part surface and to create a vacuum, vacuum pump
and the venturi are the common devices used.
VACUUM GRIPPERS
 VACUUM GRIPPERS
 The Vacuum pump is piston operated and
powered by an electric motor. It is capable of
creating a relatively high vacuum.
 The Venturi is driven by “shop air pressure”.
Its initial cost is less than that of a vacuum
pump and it is relatively reliable because of its
simplicity.
 ADHESIVE GRIPPERS
 In adhesive gripper, an adhesive substance can be used for grasping the
object.
 This grippers can handle fabrics and other light weight material.
 The requirement is that, the object can be gripped in one side only and
that other forms of grasping such as a vacuum or magnet are not
appropriate.

Limitations:

 The main limitation of adhesive gripper is that reliability is lost on

every successive operation.
 But in order to overcome this limitation, the adhesive material are
loaded in the form of continuous ribbon in feeding mechanism.
 HOOKS SCOOPS
 Hooks can be used as the end effector to handle
containers and to load or unload parts hanging from
overhead conveyors.
 The item or object to be handled by a hook must
have some sort of handle, so that hook can handle it.
SCOOPS
 Ladles and scoops are also used to handle certain
materials like which are in liquid or in powder form.
 The amount of material being scooped by the robot
is difficult to control.
 Others
 Other types of grippers include inflatable
devices in which inflatable bladder is
expanded to grasp the object.
 This inflatable bladder is fabricated out of
elastic material like rubber, which makes it
appropriate for gripping fragile objects.
Others
 Tools as End Effectors,
 In many applications, the robot is required to
manipulate a tool rather than a workpart.
 In a limited number of these applications, the end
effector is a gripper that is designed to grasp and
handle the tool.
 The reason for using a gripper in these applications is
that there may be more than one tool to be used by the
robot in the work cycle.
 In most of the robot applications in which a tool is
manipulated, the tool is attached directly to robot wrist.
tools used as end effectors in robot
applications include
 SELECTION AND DESIGN
CONSIDERATIONS OF GRIPPER
 Gripper tools are used for spot welding, arc
welding, rotating spindle operation, and other
processing applications.
 The main consideration of selecting gripper
is grasping power of the gripper.
• The following list is based on Engelberger’s gripper
selection factors:
1. The part surface to be grasped must be reachable (i.e.) it
must not be enclosed within a chuck or other holding fixture.
2. Variation in size must be accounted for, and how this
might influence,the accuracy of locating the part (i.e.) there
might be the problem in placing a rough casting or forging
into a chuck for machine operations.
3. The gripper design must accommodate the change in size
that occurs between part loading and unloading (i.e) part size
is reduced in machining and forging operation.
4. The problem of scratching and distorting the part during
gripping should be considered if the part is fragile or has
delicate surface.
5.If there is a choice between two different dimensions
an a part, then the larger dimension should be selected
for grasping. Holding the part by its larger surface will
give better control and stability.
6. Fingers must be designed to provide conform to the
part shape by using self aligning fingers. The choice of
self-aligning fingers is to ensure that each finger makes
contact with the part in more than one place. This will
give better part control and stability.
7. Use of self-replaceable finger will allow for wear
and also for inter changeability for different part
models.
The factors considered for selection of grippers
are given in precise manner.
1. Selection of gripper for part handling:
1. Weight and size.
2. Shape.
3. Change in shape during processing.
4. Tolerances on the part size.
5. Surface condition, protection of delicate
surfaces.
2. Selection of gripper for actuation method:
1. Mechanical grasping.
2. Vacuum cup.
3. Magnet.
4. Adhesive, scoops etc.
3. Selection of power and signal transmission:
1. Pneumatic
2. Electrical.
3. Hydraulic.
4. Mechanical
4. Selection of mechanical gripper:
1. Weight of the object.
2. Method of holding.
3. Co-efficient between fingers and object.
4. Speed and acceleration during motion cycle.
5. Selection of positioning problems:
1. Length of fingers.
2. Inherent accuracy and repeatability of robot.
3. Tolerance on the part size.

6. Selection of grippers on service conditions:

1. Number of actuation during life time of
gripper.
2. Repeatability of wear components.
3. Maintenance and serviceability
7. Selection of grippers on operating
environment:
1. Heat and temperature.
2. Humidity, moisture, dirt, chemicals.
8. Selection of gripper on temperature
protection:
1. Heat shield.
2. Long fingers.
3. Forced cooling.
4. Use of heat-resistant materials.
9. Selection of gripper on fabrication
materials:
1. Strength, rigidity, durability.
2. Fatigue strength.
3. Cost and ease of fabrication.
4. Friction properties of fingure surface.
5. Comparability with operating environment.
10. Others:
1. Use of interchangeable finger.
2. Design standards.
3. Mounting connections and interfacing with
robot.
4. Lead time for design and fabrication.
5. Spare parts, maintenance and service.
6. Tryout of the gripper in production.