International Journal of Engineering and Science


Optimal Design and Finite Element Analysis of Robot Gripper
for Industrial Application

Vivek A Raut
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bridgeport
Email: vraut@my.bridgeport.edu
Ninad S Tambe
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bridgeport
Email : ntambe@my.bridgeport.edu
Dr, Prof. Zheng Li
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bridgeport
Email : zhengli@bridgeport.edu

--------------------------------------------------------ABSTRACT-----------------------------------------------------------
A robot gripper is a mechanical device which is used as an End Effector in robotic system for grasping object.
Gripper (End Effector) is considered as hand of Robot. The aim of the paper is to understand latest trends of
robot grippers while keeping primary focus on Design and FEA study of modern gripper. The research work
proposes most advanced and multi-objective gripper Design to improve industrial applications to typically
grasp, carry and assemble several objects. The CAD software, SolidWorks and ANSYS, FEA package were
applied to facilitate the Design & to simulate motion study analysis of Gripper. The Finite Element Analysis of
robotic gripper included Static Structural Analysis on Gear mates and Claws (Finger’s) of gripper.
Furthermore, calculation of the forces exerted in the robot’s gripper were performed by functioning the gripper
with Servomotor.

Keywords - CAD Modelling, End Effector, Motion Study Analysis, Structural FEA.
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Date of Submission: 04/10/2018
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1. INTRODUCTION
Industrial robotic grippers have a pivotal role in modern automation since they constitute the end-of-arm of
robotic manipulators and thus, they are in direct contact with the workpiece to handled. Grippers as end-of-arm
tools must perform their tasks under demanding requirements in modern mass production because handling
operations do not directly increase the market or intrinsic values of the workpieces. Therefore, grasping and
manipulation should be achieved not only securely but as fast as possible to reduce cycle times. [1]
This project is aimed to study and design a functional robotic gripper to achieve simple grasping tasks, the
various objectives of the design are as follows: - i) Having a rigid mechanical structure. (Grippers finger’s and
gear assembly should be strong) ii) Ability to pick and move an object of around 100 pounds. The above-
mentioned design goals are met and verified through experimental study of FEA methods using Ansys.

2. DESIGN OF ROBOT’S GRIPPER

2.1 Design Parameters of Gripper
In this era, a lot of the gripper has been designed or created. The gripper is often designed according to the needs
and desires of users. There are a lot variety kind of grippers, the most common types of grippers are jaw
(pressure) type, vacuum, and magnetic grippers. In the industries, the type of mechanical gripper that most
commonly used is jaw type, it has a finger that move parallel.[2]
Jaw type gripper. Jaw type grippers are related to clamping gripers. In the jaw type grippers, the simplest
type is two-jaw gripper. Two jaw gripper types are most widely used in industry because it requires a lower cost
to make it. This is because, the gripper is the easiest type to designed. Two jaw gripper includes with two
gripping finger pressures imposed externally or internally on an object depends on the jaw design.[2]
Vacuum gripper: Vacuum grippers are used in the robots for grasping the non – ferrous objects. It uses
vacuum cups as the gripping device, which is also commonly known as suction cups. This type of grippers will

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provide good handling if the objects are smooth, flat, and clean. It has only one surface for gripping the objects.
Most importantly, it is not best suitable for handling the objects with pores.[3]
Magnetic gripper: Magnetic gripper is in the main group of single surface gripper, when the grippers have
only one surface of component that available. Magnetic grippers are most commonly used in a robot as an end
effector for grasping the ferrous materials. Magnetic grippers are divided into two types; electromagnet and
permanent magnet.[2]
To design an advanced and multi-objective gripper to achieve grasping, carrying, and assembling task in
various fields we have selected pressure gear gripper. This gripper is the easiest type to designed and unbales to
deal with any object with complex shape. Gear grippers are most widely used mechanical gripper in industries
because of its easy-to-build feature and at the same time they are very cheap to manufactured compared to other
types of grippes. The designed gripper allows a translation movement which gives a strong and firm grip to grab
objects.
2.2 Material
The working condition and load carrying capacity are the important contributing factors in process of material
selection. Aluminum, Steel and Cast Iron are mostly used for application of grippers. To achieve the maximum
load bearing capacity with minimal weight, the required material should possess a good yield strength.
Aluminum has a good mechanical property, exhibits good tensile strength, and is very commonly extruded. Due
to its low density, cost, easy to fabricate and weight to strength ratio aluminum is best choice of material for
application of grippers. The properties of Aluminum are as follows. Material properties value taken form
engineering data (Material Library) of Ansys 2016.
Table 1. Material Properties of Aluminum
Properties Value
Density 2770 Kg/m3
Tensile yield strength 280 Mpa
Tensile ultimate strength 310 Mpa
Poisson’s ratio 0.33
Shear modulus 26 Gpa
Modulus of Elasticity 68.9 Gpa
Fatigue strength 96.5 Mpa

3. CAD MODELLING.
The CAD modelling is done with SolidWorks. After 2-3 design iterations, we have achieved the best possible
and feasible design for Robotic Gripper. This multi-objective and most advanced design of gripper serves
following purposes –
o The design achieved total closing of gripper without any interference of other parts.
o With minimum aperture so small, the gripper can garb and move smallest object.
o No collision between gripper fingers and base.
o The gripper has smooth translation movement as radius of rotation of the gears is same with the radius
of rotation of the connection piece of base with the gripper.
o The design of robot gripper is more effective than older (design) counterparts with less quantity of
material used.
3.1 Description of robotic gripper
The robot’s gripper has two degrees of freedom and it consists of following main parts:
The base -The body will be the center of connections of every pieces of the robot’s gripper. It forms a rigid
structure (base) to hold gear Mate assembly and motor gear. The length of body is one of the important feature
in designing as it should be perfectly balanced to achieve smooth translation movement of grippers. The design
of body also emphases on goal of saving material.
The gripper -The gripper will have the best possible shape and material with the goal to pick and move any
objects with different contours and weights. The gripper will have a translation movement.
Gear mate - This gear consists of a cogwheel (cut teeth gear) in more than a half of its contour. It is connected to
the servomotor through a motor gear and it is supported on the base. The outgoing shaft is used to connect the

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gear with the gripper. This gear is the responsible for transmitting the rotation to the other gear, it is called drive
wheel.

Figure 1 CAD Model of Robot Gripper

4. FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

4.1 Need for Structural Analysis
A good design is always judged by its load bearing capacity Stress analysis is an engineering discipline that uses
many methods to determine the stresses and strains in materials and structures subjected to forces. In
engineering, stress analysis is often a tool rather than a goal, the ultimate goal being the design of structures and
artifacts that can withstand a specified load, using the minimum amount of material. Typically, the starting point
for stress analysis is the geometrical description of the structure, the properties of the materials used for its parts,
how the parts are joined, and the maximum or typical forces that are expected to be applied to the structure. The
result of the study (analysis) is a description of how the applied forces spread throughout the structure, resulting
in stresses, strains and the deflections of the entire structure and each component of that structure[4]
4.2 Static structural analysis of gear mate assembly in ANSYS
The design of multi-objective robot gripper is verified with the aid of Simulation software package, Ansys 2016.
The design of this gripper should be able to pick and move any object approximately of 100 pounds and this
task is achieved with the help of Servo-motor which has torque of 10 N-m. The Static Structural Analysis is
carried out for gear mates in ANSYS which is under impression of torque. The result of this Analysis evaluates
maximum stresses induced, total deformation and state the F.O.S (Factor of Safety) for entire structure of gears
under the applied moment (torque) of 10 N-m.
4.3 Boundary Conditions and Loads
To establish a good simulation environment, we must apply proper loads and boundary conditions to make the
model as close to reality as possible.[4]To save time and ease the analysis operation, we have performed FEA
on entire structure of gears instead of designed cogwheel. Frictionless support is applied at both gear shaft and
the moment (torque) of 10 N-m is employed on driving gear along the Z-direction to replicate actual working
conditions of grippers.

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Figure 2 Support and Loads on Gear assembly

Figure 3 Result of von-misses on Gear teeth

4.4 Results of FEA

Due to the applied moment on driving gear, teeth of gears experienced bending stress and impact loading. The
maximum stress is occurred at the tip of gear teeth as teeth are in continuous contact with each other while
transferring the torque. The induced structural stress (3.29 Mpa) is negligible if compared with permissible yield
strength of material (280 Mpa) which results in safer design and it shown that the gear mate assembly is strong
enough to transmit required translation movement to gripper.

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While transmitting the torque of 10 N-m, gear mate assembly distorts due to structural stresses. Due to the
continuous interaction of teeth, maximum deformation take place at the tip of the gear teeth. The total distortion

Figure 5. Elastic Strain of gear mate assembly

of gears is marginal which is admissible in design of grippers.

The induced stresses in gears causes internal strain within a structure. As the resulting structural stress is low,
the elastic strain is generated in gears. This assembly underwent a minute change in dimensions due to the
applied moment. The resultant strain is so diminutive, On the removal of applied load the structure can resumes

Figure 6 F.O.S of gear assembly

Figure 6. F.O.S of Gear Assembly

to its pre-strain situation.

Table 2. Result of Static Structural Analysis

Von-Mises Stresses 3.29 Mpa
Displacement 0.0013 mm
Elastic strain 4.64 E-05
F.O. S 15

4.5 Comment on Static Structural Analysis

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With the Factor of Safety more than 5 this robotic gripper is far away from failure, even its weight increased by
unavoidable accessories like servo motors, protective covers and probably a different and denser end effector.
Our study shows that the robotic gripper is not only strong enough for the required use but also strong enough to
work for a long time without failure.[4]
5. SOLIDWORKS MOTION ANALYSIS
Motion studies are graphical simulations of motion for assembly models. They simulate and animate the motion
you prescribe for a model. You can use Motion Analysis (available with the SolidWorks Motion add-in from
SolidWorks Premium) to accurately simulate and analyze the motion of an assembly while incorporating the
effect of motion study elements (including motor, forces, springs, dampers, and friction). A Motion Analysis
study combines motion study elements with mates in motion calculations. Consequently, motion constraints,
material properties, mass, and component contact are included in the SolidWorks Motion kinematic solver
calculations.[5]
5.1 Scope of Motion Study Analysis
A Motion Analysis study able to calculates loads and stresses exerted on component during the motion. The
aim of this study is to analyze resulting stress and deformation on gripper fingers while it’s in translation
motion. With the help of SolidWorks motion analysis, we estimate the structural behavior of robot gripper
during actual working condition under the application of torque of 10 N-m.
5.2 Boundary Conditions
In the motion analysis we have access to gravity, motors, spring, dampers, contacts, and forces to model the
motion of component or assembly. Now to imitate working condition of gripper we have applied a motion of
rotary motor to driving gear. By application of no penetration contact, the study will allow geometry of gear
teeth to drive the motion.

Figure 7 rotary Motion & contacts for Motion Analysis

5.3 Results of Motion Analysis

During the translation movement of grippers and the application of torque, the fingers (claws) of gripper
undergone a structural stress. The motion study analysis is performed to determine maximum induced stress at
the claws of gripper. The results show the maximum stress is at the junction of pin and well within the limit of
permissible yield stress of material.
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The rigid structure of gripper and material does not allow maximum distortion of claws of gripper. The
maximum displacement take place at the bottom part of claws near the pin junction.

Table 3. Result of Motion Study Analysis

Von-Mises Stresses 245.3 Pa
Displacement 0.13 mm

5.4 Comment on Static Structural Analysis

The induced structural stress and total deformation caused by the translation movement of gripper under the
impression of applied torque of 10 N-m is very small and within the allowable constraints of material properties.

6. CALCULATIONS
Calculation of the forces exerted in the gripper by the torque.[3]
We are going to consider the case of minimum aperture to calculate the forces exerted on the gripper.

Figure 8 Result of Von Mises on Gripper

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First, we must calculate the force exerted by the torque, this force must be perpendicular to the radius of rotation
and this force is called F. The formula of the torque is
T=F*r
So, F = T/r
As we need to transmit the torque of 10 N-m, T = 10000 N-mm

Figure 10 Forces exerted on Gripper (Minimum Aperture)

r = radius of rotation = 31 mm. (calculated with the help of SolidWorks)

F = T/r = 10000/31 = 322.58 N
However, this force is not in the direction of the gripper, so we must calculate the component of this force that is
in the direction of the gripper, F1[3]. For this, we must measure the angle α with “SolidWorks” and calculate the
component F1 using the next formula:
F1 = F * Cos (α) where α = 71.25
F1 = 322.58 * Cos (71.25)
F1 = 103.68 N
Now we must solve a system with two equations and two unknowns. The first equation is the next: [3]
Σ Fx = 0
- F1·cos (α+ β) – F2·cos(φ) + F gripper = 0 where β = 2.81 and φ = 89.75
The above equation can re-write as follows
F gripper = F1·cos (α+ β) + F2·cos(φ)………………………………. [I]

The second equation is:

Σ Fy = 0
F1·sin (α+ β) – F2sin(φ) = 0
Therefore,
F2 = [F1·sin (α+ β)]/ sin(φ)………………………………………. [II]
F2 = [103.68·sin (71.25+2.81)]/ sin (89.75)
F2 = 99.79 N
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Substituting the value of F2 in equation [I], we get

F gripper = F1·cos (α+ β) + F2·cos(φ)
F gripper = 103.68 ·cos (71.25+ 2.81) + 99.79·cos (89.75)
F gripper = 28.9 N
Due to applied moment (Torque) of 10 N-m on the gear assembly through the Servo-Motor, claws of grippers
are exposed to force of around 30 N. This amount of force is minimal during the translation movement of
gripper and the selected material for gripper can easily withstand this force.

7. CONCLUSION
In this paper, the detailed study of design of robot’s gripper is conducted and the end results are proved with aid
of FEA methods. This multi-objective gripper design to improve simple grasping and handling task of several
objects of around 100 pounds is achieved. The primary goal of this study is to accomplish an optimal design of
robot gripper to perform various industrial applications, is done by using SolidWorks software. In the research
work, the designed model of gripper is analyzed for every possible situation such as maximum load carrying
capacity, permissible deformation, and motion analysis. The result of motion study analysis validates that
selected gripper design can withstand the induced maximum stresses during its operation. Furthermore, the
calculation which was performed shown that the material selected for the design can cope up with the forces
employed on gripper tool.

REFERENCES
.
[1] L. Birglen and T. Schlicht, “A statistical review of industrial robotic grippers,” Robot. Comput. Integr.
Manuf., vol. 49, pp. 88–97, 2018.
[2] Z. B. Razali, “Optimum Design of Multi-Function Robot Arm Gripper for Varying Shape Green
Product,” MATEC Web Conf., vol. Volume 78, no. MATEC Web Conf.
[3] Álvaro Meneses Martínez, “Mechanical design of a robot’s gripper,” 2015.
[4] G. R. Reddy and V. K. P. Eranki, “Design and Structural Analysis of a Robotic Arm,” Blekinge Institute
of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden., 2016.
[5] Dassault Systèmes, “Introduction to Motion Studies,” 2017. [Online]. Available:
https://help.solidworks.com/2017/english/SolidWorks/motionstudies/
c_Introduction_to_Motion_Studies.htm.

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