3/5/2018 Grippers

Grippers
Introduction to Grippers

A gripper is a motion device that mimics the movements of people, in

the case of the gripper, it is the fingers. A gripper is a device that holds
an object so it can be manipulated. It has the ability to hold and release
an object while some action is being performed. The fingers are not part
of the gripper, they are specialized custom tooling used to grip the
object and are referred to as "jaws." Two main types of action are
performed by grippers:

External: This is the most popular method of holding objects, it is the

most simplistic and it requires the shortest stroke length. When the
gripper jaws close, the closing force of the gripper holds that object.

Internal: In some applications, the object geometry or the need to

access the exterior of the object will require that the object is held from
the center. In this case the opening force of the gripper will be holding
the object.

Learn more: Grippers Choosing a Gripper FAQ on Grippers

Grippers Operation Pneumatic Parallel Grippers Major Factors in Choosing a

Types of Pneumatic Grippers Pneumatic Angular Grippers Pneumatic Gripper and Jaw Design:

Gripper Force Pneumatic Grippers for Clean Room Popular Grippers

& Harsh Environments

Learn more about Grippers

How does a gripper work?

The most widely used gripper is the pneumatically powered gripper;
KEY FACTORS IN CHOOSING A
it is basically a cylinder that operates on compressed air. When the
air is supplied, the gripper jaws will close on an object and firmly
PNEUMATIC GRIPPER
hold the object while some operation is performed, and when the air 1. Part shape, orientation and dimensional
direction is changed, the gripper will release the object. Typical uses variation
are to change orientation or to move an object as in a pick-n-place 2. Part Weight
operation. 3. Accessibility
4. Environmental
Types of Pneumatic Grippers 5. Retention of the Object:
The most popular types of pneumatic grippers are the 2 jaw parallel
and 2 jaw angular gripper styles. Parallel grippers open and close
parallel to the object that it will be holding, these are the most widely used grippers. They are the simplest to tool and
can compensate for some dimensional variation. Angular grippers move the jaws in a radial manner to rotate the jaws
away from the object and therefore require more space. There are also 3 jaw and toggle style grippers that are designs
for more specific handling requirements.

Gripper Force
Grippers have a force rating that is referenced with an air pressure. The force of a gripper is influenced by the air
pressure, if you increase the air pressure by 20% then you have increased the force on the griper by 20% (up to the
gripper maximum air pressure rating). This also gives you the ability to reduce the gripper force by using an air
regulator.

Major Factors in Choosing a Pneumatic Gripper and Jaw Design:

When choosing a pneumatic gripper and jaw design, these are the major factors to consider:

1. Part shape, orientation and dimensional variation

If the object has two opposing flat surfaces, then 2 jaw parallel gripper is desired since it can handle some dimensional
variation. Jaws can also be designed to handle cylindrical objects with the 2 jaw concept. Keep in mind that a retention or
encompassing grip requires much less force.

2. Part Weight
Grip force must be adequate to secure the object while a desired operation is performed on the object. The type of jaw
design must be part of the force requirement. Keep in mind that you should add a safety factor to the amount of force
that you select and air pressure is a factor to keep in mind.

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3. Accessibility
This applies both to the work being performed on the object and the amount of
room for the gripper jaws. If the work is to the exterior of the object then it may
require an internal grip. Angular grippers are usually less expensive but require
additional space for jaw movement.

4. Environmental
Harsh environment or clean room applications require grippers designed for
those purposes.

5. Retention of the Object

When air pressure is lost, the gripper will relax its grip on the object and the
object may be dropped. There are spring assist grippers designed for this type
application.

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Choose the right gripper for your automated process

Pneumatic Parallel Grippers

A parallel gripper opens and closes parallel to the object that it will be holding. These are the most
widely used grippers. They are the simplest to tool and can compensate for some dimensional
variation.

Pneumatic Angular Grippers

An Angular gripper moves the jaws in a radial manner to rotate the jaws away from the object. This
allows for the jaws to move completely away from the object. The object may also be fed directly
into the jaws and possibly eliminate one additional motion.

Pneumatic Grippers for Clean Room & Harsh Environments

A pneumatic gripper for harsh environments is constructed with clean room grade grease and is
equipped with shielding to protect the moving components from particulate. External components are
made of corrosion resistant materials for resistance to de-ionized water or for use in FDA and medical
applications. They also have a scavenge/purge port to be used with vacuum in clean room
applications and air supply to keep particulate away from jaws.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How to Choose a Jaw Configuration?

The jaws are custom tooling designed to securely hold the object at task. They will make contact with the object and
much thought needs to go into the correct jaw design because it will have a major factor in the force requirement of the
gripper.
There are two types of gripping actions:

Friction:
Friction gripping jaws rely completely on the force of the gripper to hold the object, they are the easiest to fabricate and
may require more force to hold the object. This is especially true for objects that do not have flat surfaces. Parts can be
dislodged by forces applied from any direction.

Retention or Encompassing:
Retention or encompassing gripping jaws will hold the object and cradle it in the jaws. It is the preferred method since it

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adds stability to holding the object and requires less force to hold the object, to
drop the object you must overcome the force to open the jaws. Keep in mind
that the travel stroke of the gripper may have to be increased to encompass the
object. If the jaw encompasses the object 1/16" on both sides, then the stroke
length requirement will need to be increased by 1/8".

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