What's new with robot end-effectors

End-effectors include grippers, suction cups, clamps, tool changers, collision sensors, rotary joints, press tooling, compliance devices, deburring tools, dispense valves, arc welding guns, and many other types of tooling. End-effector selection depends not on the number of robots, but on application factors such as part type, production level and available work space. One such robot, THOR, is equipped with force-torque sensors from ATI Industrial Automation. Suppliers such as Robotiq offer electric grippers with self-adaptive fingers that can pick up a wide variety of parts to enhance human-robot Collaboration. Mike Guelker, product manager for actuators and air supply for Festo Corp., says that manufacturers are increasingly using electric grippers, as they offer greater force, stroke and control than pneumatic solutions.