Design and Fabrication of a Flexible Robotic Gripper for Material Handling

Abstract

Robotic grippers are integral components in modern automation. Recent technological advances enable gripper-equipped robots to perform many task traditionally associated with the human hand, allowing the use of grippers in a wide range of applications. In order to handle different components or materials , different end effectors are used , once the end effector is attached to the manipulator, it will only be capable to handle an object that is compatible with the end effector. Deploying multiple robotic manipulators for handling different materials can incur significant costs not only in terms of the robotic manipulators themselves but also in infrastructure, maintenance, and training. Switching between different tasks often requires changing the end-effectors or tools attached to the robotic manipulator. This tool changeover process can be time-consuming and may result in downtime, affecting overall productivity. This project focuses on the design and fabrication of a robotic gripper prototype with the capability to handle both fragile and non-fragile materials. The design incorporates integration of jaw gripping along with vacuum gripping