Case Study of KIMM Universal Gripper: Analysis of Commercial Industrial Gripper and Evaluation of the KIMM Universal Gripper in Industry

Abstract

The need for automation in manufacturing processes has created a demand for flexible production systems that can easily adapt to changing market needs. However, due to limitations in gripper performance, manual labor is still required in many manufacturing processes, especially when handling different objects. This paper proposes a classification of grippers used in the industrial field and analyzes the characteristics of each gripper category. The effectiveness of gripping and handling objects depends on the type of gripper used, making it challenging to find a gripper that can handle a wider range of objects beyond the typical boundaries. To address this issue, we describe two universal grippers developed by KIMM: the Impactive-type universal gripper and the Astrictivetype universal gripper. We also discuss the limitations of each gripper as discovered during their implementation in industrial applications and present research on overcoming these limitations. Additionally, we introduce two types of hybrid universal grippers as possible solutions to cover a broader range of fields. By analyzing these grippers, we provide predictions for the future development of grippers, which align with KIMM's ongoing research and development efforts.