STUDENTS: Frank Genell, Daniel Kleeman, Jonathan Toro

ADVISOR: Dr. Mizanoor Rahman

ABSTRACT:

The objective is to design a compact robotic gripper that can be used to manipulate small and fragile objects. The gripper uses a sleek design to make the system compact. This makes the design suitable for manipulating small and fragile objects as well as being viable to be used in small spaces. The components of the gripper are designed using SolidWorks and the manufacturing is performed using the 3D printing technology. The proposed gripper is driven using a wheel and a pulley system. There are 2 pulleys that are connected via a rope in tension to keep the slack out of the drive system. These pulleys are mated by pins to the gears of the system using an adaptor plate. The gears in the gripper mechanism are designed to be very precise by using an 18-tooth gear. The grips are of a simple design by utilizing a tread pattern where they are designed to pick up an object and are pinned to the gears. The design is evaluated using a comprehensive evaluation scheme, the limitations of the design are identified, and the future extension of the research is presented.