DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF ROBOTIC GRIPPER

USING 4-BAR LINKAGE

A PROJECT REPORT
Submitted by

VINOTHGURU.U

723712114057

DINESH KUMAR.M

723712114301

NAGAMANICKAM.R

723712114310

SELVAKUMAR.M

723712114046

In partial fulfillment for the award of the degree

of

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING
IN

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
VSB COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TECHNICAL
CAMPUS,COIMBATORE

ANNA UNIVERSITY : CHENNAI 600 025

APRIL 2015

ANNA UNIVERSITY : CHENNAI 600 025

nBONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

Certified that this project report DESIGN AND FABRICATION

OF

ROBOTIC GRIPPER USING 4-BAR LINKAGE is the bonafide work of the

following students who carried out the project work under my supervision.

VINOTHGURU.U

723712114057

DINESH KUMAR.M

723712114301

NAGAMANICKAM.R

723712114310

SELVAKUMAR.M

723712114046

SIGNATURE

SIGNATURE

MR. K.SARAVANA KUMAR M.E.,

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT

MR. K.SARAVANA KUMAR M.E.,

SUPERVISOR
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Kinathukadavu, Coimbatore - 642109.

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Kinathukadavu, Coimbatore - 642109.

Submitted for the Anna University Practical Examination Held on ------------------------ at

VSB College of Engineering Technical Campus, Kinathukadavu, Coimbatore-642109.
Signature of Examiners:

INTERNAL EXAMINER

EXTERNAL EXAMINER

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

At this pleasing moment of having successfully completed our project, we wish to

convey our sincere thanks and gratitude to the management of our college and our beloved
Chairman Mr.V.S.Balsamy who provided all the facilities to us.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to our principalDr.P.Venugopal M.E.,
Ph.D., for forwarding us to do our project and offering adequate duration in completing our
project. We are also grateful to the Head of the department Mr.K.SARAVANA KUMAR
M.E., for his Constructive suggestions and encouragement during our project.
With deep sense of gratitude, we extend our earnest and sincere thanks to our guide
Assistant Prof.Mr.K.SARAVANA KUMAR, M.E., Department of Mechanical Engineering
for his kind guidance and encouragement during this project.
We also express our in depth thanks to our teaching and non-teaching staffs of
Mechanical Engineering Department in VSB COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TECHNICAL
CAMPUS.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER
NO.

TITLE

PAGE NO.

ABSTRACT

1.

2.

LIST OF TABLES

iii

LIST OF FIGURES

iv

LIST OF SYMBOLS AND

iv

ABBREVIATIONS

vi

INTRODUCTION
1.1 TYPES OF END EFFECTORS

1.2 TYPES OF GRIPPER MECHANISMS

GRIPPER FORCE ANALYSIS

2.1 INTRODUCTION

2.2 OTHER TYPES OF GRIPPERS

2.2.1 Vacuum Cups

3.

2.2.2 Magnetic Gripper

10

2.2.3 Adhesive Grippers

12

2.3 TOOLS AS END EFFECTORS

13

2.4 POWER AND SIGNAL TRANSMISSION

13

2.5 CONSIDERATIONS IN GRIPPER SELECTION

14

2.6 DESIGN CALCULATION OF WORM GEAR DRIVE

16

MATERIALS AND COST ESTIMATION

3.1 DESIGN OF THE PROJECT
3.1.1 Before Assembly

20
20

3.1.2 After Assembly

22

3.2 COST ESTIMATION

23

3.2.1 Material Cost

23

3.2.2 Machining Cost

23

3.2.3 Miscellaneous cost

23

3.2.4 Total Cost

23

3.3 MATERIAL INTRODUCTION

3.3.1 Base Plate

24

3.3.2 Gripper Plate

24

3.3.3 Gripper Link

24

3.3.1 Worm and Worm Gears

24

3.4 EVALUATION
4.

24

25

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

4.1 WHAT HAS BEEN DONE

27

4.2 FUTURE DIRECTIONS

27

4.3 CONCLUSION

29

REFERENCES

30

ABSTRACT

In the area of Robotics, the gripper plays a very important role as it is required to hold
and place the object at the desired location. The requirements of gripper in terms of load
capacity, and flexibility to adapt to the form of the object with tactile sensing capability
which suit the strength of the object are necessary. Extensive research work is under way in
the design of soft gripper or dexterous hand.
The mechanism is based on the motion characteristic of a parallelogram four-bar
linkage and the geometric relationship that chords of concentric circles at a central angle are
parallel. The gripper is simple in structure, easy to manufacture, and convenient to use. It has
the capability to grip a wide range of part sizes and can achieve high accuracy.
This report presents a design of a new type of robot end- effector with inherent
mechanical grasping capabilities. Concentrating on designing an end-effector to grasp a
simple class of objects, cylindrical, allowed a design with only one degree of actuation. The
key features of this design are high bandwidth response to forces.
Passive grasping capabilities, ease of control and ability to wrap around objects with
simple geometries providing form closure. A prototype of this mechanism has been built to
evaluate these features.

LIST OF TABLES
TABLE

TITLE

PAGE

2.5.1

Checklist of factors in the selection and design

of grippers

15

2.5.2

Material Cost

23

2.5.3

Total Cost

23

LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE

TITLE

PAGE

1.2.1

Some possible linkages for robotic grippers

1.2.2

Gear and Rack method of actuating the gripper

1.2.3

Cam actuated gripper

1.2.4

Screw type gripper actuation

2.1.1

Force against part parallel to finger surfaces tending to pull part

out of gripper
2.2.1.1

Venturi device used to operate a suction cup.

2.2.2.1

Stripper device operated by air cylinders used with a permanent

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magnetic gripper.
2.6.1

Worm

16

2.6.2

Worm Wheel

16

3.1

Model of our project

20

3.2

Assembled Model of our project

21

3.4.1

Worm Gear Drive

26

3.4.2

Prototype of End Effector

26

3.4.3

Gripper holding Rectangular Plate

26

3.4.4

Gripper holding Square Block

26

3.4.5

Gripper holding Cylindrical Rod

26

4.2

Dexterous Hand

28

4.3

Robotic arm with 4-bar linkage end effector done by using CREO

28

LIST OF SYMBOLS AND ABBREVATIONS

F

-Force, N

-Coefficient of friction of the finger contact surface against the part surface

nf

-Number of contacting fingers

Fg

-Gripper force, N

-Weight of the part or object being gripped, Kg

-Negative pressure, lb/in2

-Total effective area of the suction cup(s) used to create the vacuum, in2

-Bending Stress, N/mm2

-Contact Stress, N/mm2

-Youngs Modulus, N/mm2

-Initial Design Torque, N-mm

mx

-Axial Module, mm

-Revised Centre distance, mm

-Lead angle

1. INTRODUCTION
An end effector is a device that attaches to the wrist of the robot arm and enables the
general-purpose robot to perform a specific task. It is sometimes referred to as the robot's
"hand."Most production machines require special purpose fixtures and tools designed for a
particular operation, and a robot is no. exception. The end effector is pan of that specialpurpose tooling for a, robot. Usually, end effectors must be custom engineered for the
particular task which is to be performed. This can be accomplished either by designing and
fabricating-the device fromscratch, or by purchasing a commercially available device and
adapting it to the application. The company installing the robot can either do the engineering
work itself or it can contract for theservices of a firm that does this kind of work.

Most robot manufacturers have special engineering groups whose function is to

design end effectors and to provide consultation services to their customers. Also, there are a
growingnumber of robot systems firms which perform some or all of the engineering work to
installrobot systems. Their services would typically include end effector design.

1.1 TYPES OF END EFFECTORS

There are wide assortments of end effectors required to perform the variety of
different work functions. The various types ca n be divided into two major categories:
1. Grippers
2. Tools
Grippers are end effectors used to grasp and hold object. The objects are generally
workparts that are to be moved by the robot. These part-handling applications include
machine
loading and unloading, picking parts from a conveyor, and arranging parts onto a pallet. In
addition to work parts, other objects handled by robot grippers include cartons, bottles, raw
1

materials, and tools. We tend to think of grippers as mechanical grasping devices, but there
are alternative ways of holding objects involving the use of magnets, suction cups, or other
means.
Grippers can be classified as single grippers or double grippers although this
classification applies best to mechanical grippers. The single gripper is distinguished by the
fact that only one grasping device is mounted on the robot's wrist. A double gripper has two
gripping devices attached to the wrist and is used to handle two separate objects. The two
gripping devices can be actuated independently.
The double gripper is especially useful in machine loading and unloading applications.
With a double gripper, the robot can pick the part from the incoming conveyor with one of
the gripping devices and have it ready to exchange for the finished part. When the machine
cycle is completed, the robot can reach in for the finished part with the available grasping
device, and insert the raw part into the machine with the other grasping device. The amount
of time that the machine is open is minimized.

The term multiple gripper is applied in the case where two or more grasping
mechanisms are fastened to the wrist. Double grippers are a subset of multiple grippers. The
occasions when more than two grippers would be required are somewhat rare. There is also a
cost and reliability penalty which accompanies an increasing number of gripper devices on
one robot arm.

By definition, the tool-type end effector is attached to the robots wrist. One of the
most common applications of industrial robots is spot welding, in which the welding
electrodes constitute the end effector of the robot. Other examples of robot applications in
which tools are used as end effectors include spray painting and arc welding.
1.2 TYPES OF GRIPPER MECHANISMS
There are various ways of classifying mechanical grippers and their actuating
2

mechanisms. One method is according to the type of finger movement used by the gripper. In
this classification the grippers can actuate the opening and closing of the fingers by one of the
following motions:
1. Pivoting movement
2. Linear or translational movement
In the pivoting movement the fingers rotate about fixed pivot points on the gripper to
open and close. The motion is usually accomplished by some kind of linkage mechanism. In
thelinear movement the fingers open and close by moving in parallel to each other. This
isaccomplished by means of guide rails so that each finger base slides along a guide rail
duringactuation. The translational finger movement might also be accomplished by means of
a linkagewhich would maintain the fingers in a parallel orientation to each other during
actuation.

Fig.1.2.1: Some possible linkages for robotic grippers

Mechanical grippers can also be classed according to the type of kinematic device used to
actuate the finger movement. In this classification we have the following types:
1. Linkage actuation
2. Gear-and-rack actuation
3

3. Cam actuation
4. Screw actuation
5. Rope-and-pulley actuation
6. Miscellaneous
The linkage category covers a wide range of design possibilities to actuate the opening
and closing of the gripper. A few examples are illustrated in Fig.1.2.1

The design of the linkage determines how the input force F to the gripper is converted into
the gripping force F applied by the fingers. The linkage configuration also
determines other operational features such as how wide the gripper fingers will open and how
quickly the gripper will actuate

Fig. 1.2.2: Gear and Rack method of actuating the gripper

Figure 1.2.2 illustrates one method of actuating the gripper fingers using a gear-andrackconfiguration. The rack gear would be attached to a piston or some other mechanism that
would provide a linear motion. Movement of the rack would drive two partial pinion gears,
and these would in turn open and close the fingers.
The cam actuated gripper includes a variety of possible designs, one of which is
shown inFig.1.2.3. A cam and follower arrangement often using a spring-loaded follower can
provide theopening and closing action of the gripper.
4

Fig.1.2.3: Cam actuated gripper

For example, movement of the cam in one direction would force the gripper to open,
while movement of the cam in the opposite direction would cause the spring to force the
gripper to close. The advantage of this arrangement is that the spring action would
accommodate different sized parts. This might be desirable, for example, in a machining
operation where a single gripper is used to handle the raw work part and the finished part.
The finished part might be significantly smaller after machining.
An example of the screw-type actuation method is shown in Fig.1.2.4. The screw is
turned by a motor, usually accompanied by a speed reduction mechanism. When the screw is
rotated in one direction, this causes a threaded block to be translated in one direction. The
threaded block is, in turn, connected to the gripper fingers to cause the corresponding opening
and closing action.

Fig.1.2.4: Screw type gripper actuation

Rope-and-pulley mechanisms can be designed to open and close a mechanical

gripper.Because of the nature of these mechanisms, some form of tension device must be
used to opposethe motion of the rope or cord in the pulley system. For example, the pulley
system mightoperate in one direction to open the gripper, and the tension device would take
up the slackin the rope and close the gripper when the pulley system operates in the opposite
direction.

The miscellaneous category is included in our list to allow for gripper actuating
mechanisms that do not logically fall into one of the above categories. An example might be
anexpandable bladder or diaphragm that would be inflated and deflated to actuate the
gripperfingers.

2. GRIPPER FORCE ANALYSIS

2.1 INTRODUCTION
As indicated previously, the purpose of the gripper mechanism is to convert input
power into the required motion and force to grasp and hold an object. Let us illustrate the
analysis that might be used to determine the magnitude of the required input power in order
to obtain a given gripping force. We will assume that a friction-type grasping action is being
used to hold the part. A detailed study of mechanism analysis is beyond the scope of this text,
and the reader might refer to other books such as Beer and Johnson and Shigley and Mitchell.

Fig.2.1.1: Force against part parallel to finger surfaces tending to pull part out of gripper
If a force of sufficient magnitude is applied against the part in a direction parallel to
the friction surfaces of the fingers as shown in Fig.2.1.1(a), the part might slip out of the
gripper.To resist this slippage, the gripper must be designed to exert a force that depends on
the weightof the part, the coefficient of friction between the part surface and the finger
surface, theacceleration (or deceleration) of the part, and the orientation between the direction
of motionduring acceleration and the direction of the fingers.
Referring to Fig.2.1.1(b), the following force equations, Equations (a) and (b), can be
used to determine the required magnitude of the gripper force as a function of these factors.
Equation (a) covers the simpler case in which weight alone is the force tending to cause the
partto slip out of the gripper.

- - - - - - - - - - - (a)

Where,
=coefficient of friction of the finger contact surface against the part surface
nf= number of contacting fingers
Fg =gripper force
w = weight of the part or object being gripped
This equation would apply when the force of gravity is directed parallel to the
contactingsurfaces. If the force tending to pull the part out of the fingers is greater than the
weight of the object, then Eq. (a) would have to be altered. For example, the force of
acceleration would be a significant factor in fast part-handling cycles. Engelberger suggests
that in a high-speed handling operation the acceleration (or deceleration) of the part could
exert a force that is twice the weight of the part. He reduces the problem to the use of a g f
actor in a revised version of Eq. (a) as follows

- - - - - - - - - - - - - (b)

Where.
g =the g factor. The g factor is supposed to take account of the combined effect of gravity
and acceleration. If the acceleration force is applied in the same direction as
the gravity force, then the g value = 3.0. If the acceleration is applied in the opposite
direction, then the g value = 1.0 (2 x the weight of the part due to acceleration minus 1 x the
weight of the part due to gravity). If the acceleration is applied in a horizontal direction, then
use g = 2.0.

2.2 OTHER TYPES OF GRIPPERS

In addition to mechanical grippers there are a variety of other devices that can be
designed to lift and hold objects. Included among these other types of grippers are the
following:

1. Vacuum cups
2. Magnetic grippers
3. Adhesive grippers
4. Hooks, scoops, and other miscellaneous devices
2.2.1 Vacuum Cups
Vacuum cups, also called suction cups, can be used as gripper devices for handling
certain types of objects. The usual requirements on the objects to be handled are that they be
flat,smooth and clean, conditions necessary to form a satisfactory vacuum between the object
and the suction cup.
The suction cups used in this type of robot gripper are typically made of elastic
materialsuch as rubber or soft plastic. An exception would be when the object to be handled
is composed of a soft material. In this case, the suction cup would be made of a hard
substance. The shape of the vacuum cup, as shown in the figure (2.2.1.1), is usually round.
Some means of removing the air between the cup and the part surface to create the vacuum is
required. The vacuum pump and the venturi are two common devices used for this purpose.

Fig.2.2.1.1: Venturi device used to operate a suction cup.

The vacuum pump is a piston-operated or vane-driven device powered by an electricmotor. It
9

is capable of creating a relatively high vacuum. The venturi is a simpler device and can be
driven by means of "shop air pressure." Its initial cost is less than that of a vacuum pump
andit is relatively reliable because of its simplicity. However, the overall reliability of the
vacuum system is dependent on the source of air pressure.
The lift capacity of the suction cup depends on the effective area of the cup and the
negative air pressure between the cup and the object. The relationship can be summarized
in the following equation
F = PA ------------------ (c)
Where
F = the force or lift capacity, lb
P = the negative pressure, lb/in2
A = the total effective area of the suction cup(s) used to create the vacuum, in2
The effective area of the cup during operation is approximately equal to the
unreformedarea determined by the diameter of the suction cup. The squashing action of the
cup as it presses against the object would tend to make the effective area slightly larger than
the unreformed area.
On the other hand, if the center portion of the cup makes contact against the object
during deformation, this would reduce the effective area over which the vacuum is applied.
These two conditions tend to cancel each other out. The negative air pressure is the pressure
differential between the inside and the outside of the vacuum cup.

2.2.2 Magnetic Gripper

Magnetic grippers can be a very feasible means of handling ferrous materials. The
stainless steel plate would not be an appropriate application for a magnetic gripper because
18-8 stainless steel is not attracted by a magnet. Other steels, however, including certain types
of stainless steel, would be suitable candidates for this means of handling, especially when
the materials are handled in sheet or plate form.
In general, magnetic grippers offer the following advantages in robotic handling
applications:

10

 Pickup times are very fast.

Variations in part size can be tolerated. The gripper does not have to be
designed for one particular work part.
They have the ability to handle metal parts with holes (not possible
with vacuum grippers).
They require only one surface for gripping.
Disadvantages with magnetic grippers include the residual magnetism remaining in
the work piece which may cause a problem in subsequent hand- ling, and the possible side
slippage and other errors which limit the precision of this means of handling. Another
potential disadvantage of a magnetic gripper is the problem of picking up only one sheet from
a stack. The magnetic attraction tends to penetrate beyond the top sheet in the stack, resulting
in the possibility that more than a single sheet will be lifted by the magnet. This problem can
be confronted in several ways.
Magnetic grippers can be divided into two categories, those using electromagnets and
those using permanent magnets. Electromagnetic grippers are easier to control, but require a
source of dc power and an appropriate controller unit. As with any other roboticgrippingdevice, the part must be released at the end of the handling cycle. This is easier to
accomplish with an electromagnet than with a permanent magnet.

Fig.2.2.2.1: Stripper device operated by air cylinders used with a permanent magnetic
gripper.
When the part is to be released the controller unit reverses the polarity at a reduced
power level before switching off the electromagnet. This procedure acts to cancel the residual
magnetism in the work piece and ensures a positive release of the part.

11

Permanent magnets have the advantage of not requiring an external power source to operate
the magnet. However, there is a loss of control that accompanies this apparent
advantage. For example, when the part is to be released at the end of the handling cycle,
some means of separating the part from the magnet must be provided. The device which
accomplishes this is called a stripper or stripping device. Its function is to mechanically
detach the part from the magnet. One possible stripper design is illustrated in Fig.2.2.2.1.
Permanent magnets are often considered for handling tasks in hazardous
environmentsrequiring explosion proof apparatus. The fact that no electrical circuit is needed
to operate the magnet reduces the danger of sparks which might cause ignition in such an
environment.

2.2.3 Adhesive Grippers

Gripper designs in which an adhesive substance performs the grasping action can be
used to handle fabrics and other lightweight materials. The require-ments on the items to be
handled are that they must be gripped on one side only and that other forms of grasping such
as a vacuum or magnet are not appropriate.

Cine of the potential limitations of an adhesive gripper is that the adhesive substance
loses its tackiness on repeated usage.

Consequently, its reliability as a gripping device is diminished with each successive

operation cycle. To overcome this limitation, the adhesive material is loaded in the form of a
continuous ribbon into a feeding mechanism that is attached to the robot wrist. The feeding
mechanism operates in a manner similar to a typewriter ribbon mechanism

12

13

2.3 TOOLS AS END EFFECTORS

In many applications, the robot is required to manipulate a tool rather than a work
part. In a limited number of these applications, the end effector is a gripper that is designed to
grasp and handle the tool. The reason for using a gripper in these applications is that there
may be more than one tool to be used by the robot in the work cycle. The use of a gripper
permits the tools to be exchanged during the cycle, and thus facilitates this multi tool
handling function.
In most of the robot applications in which a tool is manipulated, the tool is attached
directly to the robot wrist. In these cases the tool is the end effector. Some examples of tools
used as end effectors in robot applications include

Spot-welding tools Arc-welding torch Spray-painting nozzle

Rotating spindles for operations such as:
Drilling routing
Wire brushing
Grinding
Liquid cement applicators for assembly
Heating torches
Water jet cutting tool

2.4 POWER AND SIGNAL TRANSMISSION

End effectors require power to operate. They also require control signals to regulate their
operation. The principal methods of transmitting power and control signals to the end effector
are:
I.
II.
III.
IV.

Pneumatic
Electric
Hydraulic
Mechanical

2.5 CONSIDERATIONS IN GRIPPER SELECTION AND DESIGN

As indicated above, tools are used for spot welding, arc welding, rotating spindle
operations, and other processing applications. Certainly one of the considerations deals with
determining the grasping requirement for the gripper. Engelberger defines many of the factors
that should be considered in assessing gripping requirements. The following list is based on
14

Engelberger's discussion of these factors:

1. The part surface to be grasped must be reachable. For example, it must not be
enclosed within a chuck or other holding fixture.
2. The size variation of the part must be accounted for, and how this might influence the
accuracy of locating the part. For example, there might be a problem in placing a
rough casting or forging into a chuck for machining operations.
3. The gripper design must accommodate the change in size that occurs between pan
loading and unloading. For example, the part size is reduced in machining and forging
operations.
4. Consideration must be given to the potential problem of scratching and distorting the
part during gripping, if the part is fragile or has delicate surfaces.
5. If there is a choice between two different dimensions on a part, the larger dimension
should be selected for grasping. Holding the part by its larger surface will provide
better control and stability of the part in positioning.
6. Gripper fingers can be designed to conform to the part shape by using resilient pads or
self-aligning fingers. The reason for using self-aligning fingers is to ensure that each
finger makes contact with the part in more than one place.
This provides better part control and physical stability. Use of replaceable fingers will
allow for wear and also for interchangeability for different part models

2.6 DESIGN CALCULATION OF WORM GEAR DRIVE

Materials used
Worm and Worm Wheel - Mild Steel

15

Fig. 2.6.1: Worm

Fig. 2.6.2: Worm Wheel

Assumed Values
Speed of worm (N1) = 100 rpm
Number of teeth on worm wheel (Z2) = 20
Number of starts on worm (Z1) = 10
k*kd = 1
Initial Centre Distance (a) = 140mm

16

For Mild Steel

) =165 N/

mm2

) = 190 N/

mm2

Bending Stress (
Contact Stress (

5
Youngs Modulus (E) = 2.06 10

Transmission Ratio
I=

Z2
Z1

20
10

=1

Initial Design Torque

[

Mt

]=

Mt

Assume k

17

kd

=1

kd

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