Development of novel magnetic grippers for use in unstructured robotic workspace

• Finite element-based modeling, design, fabrication, grasp synthesis and testing of magnetic grippers.
• Real-time performance study of sensor-instrumented magnetic grippers in unstructured environment.
• Prototype gripper is fabricated using several elemental magnets placed in three types of layout.
• The gripper is provided with a pivot-type universal joint & customized rubber pad for compliance.

The workability of an industrial robotic system under non-coherent environment has attained commendable potential in recent era owing to the customized design of end-effectors. Magnetic gripping is one such domain that draws research interest, especially when used in unstructured robotic workspace. The present paper delineates the details of the design, modeling, analysis, fabrication paradigms and test results of representative magnetic grippers, including test-pieces and prototype, having provision for augmentation with industrial robot(s). The novelty of the present research lies with the design semantics of the various layouts of the magnetic gripper for a customized operation of lifting ferromagnetic work-pieces from an unstructured heap, made through Finite Element Analysis (FEA) as well as using contact mechanics-based grasp synthesis model. The test grippers were experimented using an indigenous laboratory set-up, working under both structured and unstructured environments. The prototype development of the sensor-instrumented magnetic gripper was made in-line with the test results and its workability under unstructured workspace was tested by deploying the robotic unit in an industrial shop floor.