Theoretical and Experimental Study of Factors Affecting the Suction Force of a Bernoulli Gripper

Abstract

AbstractA Bernoulli noncontact gripper can generate suction force to achieve noncontact handling by use of axisymmetric radial airflow. An experimental and theoretical study of the factors that affect the suction force and its variation is conducted. First, a theoretical model of the pressure distribution is developed, taking into consideration the inertial effect of airflow deceleration, viscous effect, total pressure of the central air-supply hole, and gap height between the gripper and the workpiece. Based on the model, the suction force is calculated. Then, the pressure distribution and suction force are measured experimentally. The theoretical calculation and experimental results reveal that the inertial effect causes a negative pressure distribution and resulting suction force, while the viscous effect and the total pressure of the central air supply give rise to positive distributions and a resulting repulsive force. Because the repulsive force is inversely proportional to the gap height to a highe...