Flexible grippers for mechanical assembly

Abstract

Describes current research work into the development of a three finger industrial gripper suitable for flexible assembly work. Outlines the key aspects of building and programming the gripper and ways of simplifying its control with local computing and looks at the interaction between product design, gripper properties and assembly process. Concludes that a generic industrial gripper has been built, that is as fast as a normal gripper and which is able to grasp more part shapes more stably. Programming of the gripper is partly automated to provide flexibility to the assembly process. Further research work is being carried out on the project.