ROBOTIC END EFFECTORS

AND
MANIPULATOR KINEMATICS

1 B.Tech (MECH)
 POINTS TO BE DISCUSS ……..
 Robotic End Effectors
 End Effectors- Types,

 Grippers various process tools as end effectors;

 Robot- End effectors interface,

 Active and passive compliance,

 Gripper selection and design.

 Introduction to Transformation,

 Relative transformation,

 DH representation and displacement matrices

for standard configuration (theoretical

treatment).
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 END EFFECTORS-
 The special tooling for a robot that enables it to
perform a specific task
 Two types:
 Grippers – to grasp and manipulate objects (e.g.,
parts) during work cycle
 Tools – to perform a process, e.g., spot welding, spray
painting

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END EFFECTORS AS GRIPPER & TOOL

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 END EFFECTORS AS GRIPPERS
 Grippers are the end effectors used to grasp and
hold objects
 Classified in to two main groups :-

A. Mechanical grippers ,
B. Gripper using some physical principle.

A ) Mechanical Gripper:-
1. Single gripper
2. Double gripper
3. Multiple grippers

a) Exterior surface grasping (Exterior gripper)

b) Interior surface grasping (Interior Gripper )
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 A ) MECHANICAL GRIPPER
 A mechanical gripper is an end effectors that uses
mechanical fingers actuated by a mechanism to
grasp an object .
 Two ways to constrain any part in gripper :-

1. The physical constriction of the part within the fingers

2. Holding the object by friction between the fingers &
object
 Types of gripper mechanisms :-
A. Pivoting Mechanisms
B. Linear or Translational movement.
 Also gripper mechanisms classified as :-
1. Linkage actuation
2. Gear and rack actuation
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3. Cam actuation
4. Screw actuation
Fig. The physical constriction of the part within the
fingers
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Fig. :- Holding the object by friction between the fingers & 8
object
 gripper mechanisms classified as :-
1. Linkage actuation
2. Gear and rack actuation
3. Cam actuation
4. Screw actuation

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GRIPPER MECHANISMS CLASSIFIED
AS :-

Fig. :- Holding the object by different linkage actuation 10

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Fig. :- Holding the object by Gear and rack actuation
Fig. :- Holding the object by Cam actuation
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Fig. :- Holding the object by screw actuation
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 B) GRIPPER USING SOME PHYSICAL
PRINCIPLE
 Other types of grippers those who are based on
different physical principle used are :-
1. Vacuum grippers

2. Magnetic gripper

3. Adhesive grippers

4. Hooks ,Scoops, & others

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 1) VACUUM GRIPPERS
 Vacuum cups also called as suction cups used as
grippers devices for handling certain types of
objects .
 Usual conditions as object should be flat ,smooth &

clean so the vacuum should be form in between .

 Typical material used for suction cups are rubbers

or soft plastics.
 The vacuum pump & venturi are two common

devices used as vacuum grippers .

 Vacuum pump is piston operated or vane driven

device powered by an electric motor. High vacuum

is created.
 The venturi is simple device & driven by the means
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of simple shop air pressure ,initial cost is less than
vacuum pump, simple in construction & reliable
Fig. :- Venturi device to operate a suction cup

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Fig. :- Vacuum gripper for contoured surface
 2) MAGNETIC GRIPPER
 Magnetic grippers are very feasible means of
handling ferrous materials
 Advantages :-
 Pickup time is very fast
 Part size variation can be tolerated,
 They are ability to handle parts having holes ,
 They require only surface to grasping .
 Disadvantage
 Residualmagnetism remains in the part
 Chance of lifting more than one object

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Fig. :- Magnetic gripper for contoured surface

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 3) ADHESIVE GRIPPERS
 Adhesive grippers in which adhesive substance
perform the grasping action to handle fabrics
and other lightweight materials .
 Potential disadvantage is adhesive substance

looses its stickiness when used repeatedly

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 4) HOOKS ,SCOOPS, & OTHERS

 Hooks can be used as end effectors to handle

containers of the parts & to load & unload parts
hanging from overhead conveyors
 Obliviously the items to be handle must have

some sort of handle.

 Scoop & ladles can be used to handle certain

materials in liquid or powder form ,food

materials .
 The only disadvantage in scoop type gripper is the

amount of material handled is some time less or

more .
 Another grippers is expandable bladders ,which

expand for the grasping the object & when 21

released they come to their normal position.
Fig. :- Expandable bladder for grasping the subjects…
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 VARIOUS PROCESS TOOLS AS END
EFFECTORS;

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Fig. :- Various types of process tools :- tool changing
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Fig. :- Various types of process tools :- Pneumatic nut runner
Fig. :- Various types of process tools :- sanders & grinders…
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 ACTIVE AND PASSIVE COMPLIANCE,
 Remote Center of Compliance or RCC is a
mechanical device that facilitates automated
assembly by preventing peg-like objects from
jamming when they are inserted into a hole with
tight clearance.
 In general compliant robot systems is one that

complies with externally generated forces to modify

its motion for the purpose of alignment between
mating parts
 Active Compliance :- if robot uses a force sensor and

modifies its control strategy based on sensors o/p

the term active compliance is used describe the
behavior
 Passive Compliance :-if the robot gripper is 26

constructed in such a way that the mechanical

structure deforms to comply with those forces the
 The general task of inserting pin into a hole
represent three types of contact during the
process :-
A. The chamfer contact occurs when the pin misaligned ,
B. If pin is not rigid it will slide & try to make contact
along one side of the hole ,
C. If the misalignment is severe the pin will make a two
point contact with the base of pin & wall of the hole .

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Fig :- A Fig :- B Fig :- C

 ACTIVE COMPLIANCE
 Active compliance systems measures the active
force & torque when robot performs the
programmed task and often called F/T sensing
system.
 Force sensing systems allow the robot to detect

changes & variation in w/p or tooling during the

operation and adapt the program to correct them
 This device consist of two parallel plates that are

separated by two rigid rods firmly attached to the

first plate but with ball joint with another plate ,
 In addition to this three elastic members are also

placed between the plates that keep them

separated & parallel
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 The rod and plates are arranged so that one plate

is fixed & other one has limited rotation &

 Fig:- F/T active compliance

Fig:- Compliance technique

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employed to reduce the force on
pin
 PASSIVE COMPLIANCE
 Another approach to compliance is to allow the
wrist to deform in such a way that the external
forces are minimized .
 Passive compliance uses spring loaded wrist to

provide deformation .
 Passive compliance technique concept is applies to

Remote Center Compliance (RCC) device .

 The RCC device is unique device that compensate

for position error due to machine inaccuracy ,part

variation & fixture tolerance
 This minimizes assembly forces and possibility of

part jamming .
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 The RCC device consist of three plates .The
center plate is connected to top plate with four
rod
 To the bottom plate with four additional rods.

 In operation four rod one on each corner are

used for lateral compliance (Two rods are shown

in fig.)
 And four angled rods ,one on each corner are

used for rotational compliance (Again two rods

are shown Fig)
 The flexible rod allows the plates to move

relative to each other and provide a combination

of lateral & rotational compliance .
 The upper plate is attached to the robot tool
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plate & lower plate is attached to the gripper .
 Fig:- (a) Lateral error Fig:- (b) Axial
error
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Fig :- Operation of Remote Center Compliance

Device
Fig (c) Rotational Fig (c) Easily inserted by 33
error rotating about the compliance
center
Fig (d) Combining the two modes of freedom to a useful
complaint device
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 GRIPPER SELECTION AND DESIGN
FACTOR CONSIDERATION
PART TO BE HANDLED WEIGHT , SIZE,SHAPE, SURFACE CONDITION ,
PROTECTION OF DELICATE PARTS , TOLERANCE ON
THE PART SIZE

ACTUATION METHOD MECHANICAL ,VACCUM CUP,MAGNET

POWER AND SIGNAL PNUEMATIC , ELECTRICAL,HYDRAULIC,MECHANICAL

TRANSMISSION

GRIPPING FORCE WEIGHT OF THE OBJECT , METHOD OF HOLDING ,

SPEED AND ACCELERATION DURING MOTION CYCLE

POSITIONING PROBLEM LENGTH OF FINGERS , TOLERANCE OF PART SIZE

SERVICE CONDITION WEAR OF END

EFFECTOR,MAINTENANCE ,SERVICEABILITY

OPERATING CONDITION HEAT , TEMP, MOISTURE,DIRT,CHEMICAL

TEMP. PROTECTION HEAT SHIELDS, LONGER FINGERS, FORCED COOLING ,

HEAT RESISTANT MATERIAL
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FABRICATION MATERIAL STREGHTH , RIGIDITY , COST , FRICTION PROPERTIES
OF FINGER SURFACE
 ROBOT- END EFFECTORS INTERFACE
 An important aspect of the end effectors application
in robotics is robot end effector interface.
A. Physical support to end effector must be supplied
B. Power to end effector must be supplied .
C. Control signal to actuate the end effector must be
supplied

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 1) PHYSICAL SUPPORT TO END EFFECTOR
 Physical support to the end effector is achieved
by mechanical connection between end effector
and robot wrist
 Faceplate is attached to the wrist on which end

effector is mounted .
 Three characteristics must be taken in to

consideration :-
 Strength
 Compliance
 Overload protection

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 Strength :- refers to ability to withstand the forces
acting on the end effector while working ,weight of
end effector & object too.
 Acceleration ,deceleration forces which are acted

on the end effector must be taken in to

consideration ,
 Compliance :- It refers to wrist ability to yield

elastically when subjected to a force , which is

exact opposite to rigidity .
 Overload protection :- due to overload there may

be severe problems such as parts may get stuck to

the die or tool may trapped in between the
conveyor

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 2) & 3) POWER & CONTROL SIGNAL
MUST BE PROVIDED
 Power is given to the end effector by three
methods
 Electrical
 Pneumatic
 Hydraulic
 Or combination of above

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THE MECHANICS AND CONTROL OF
MECHANICAL MANIPULATORS
Description of position and orientation:-
In the study of robotics, we are constantly
concerned with the location of objects in three-
dimensional space.
These objects are the links of the manipulator, the
parts and tools with which it deals, and other
objects in the manipulator's environment.
these objects are described by just two attributes:
position and orientation.
In order to describe the position and
orientation of a body in space, we will always
attach a coordinate system, or frame, rigidly
to the object. We then proceed to describe the
position and orientation of this frame with respect
to some reference coordinate system.
Any frame can serve as a reference system
within which to express the position and
orientation of a body, so we often think of
transforming or changing the description of these
attributes of a body from one frame to another.
CONCEPT OF FORWARD KINEMATICS OF
MANIPULATORS
Kinematics is the science of motion that treats
motion without regard to the forces which cause
it. Within the science of kinematics, one studies
position, velocity, acceleration, and all higher
order derivatives of the position variables (with
respect to time or any other variable(s)). Hence,
the study of the kinematics of manipulators refers
to all the geometrical and time-based properties
of the motion.
Manipulators consist of nearly rigid links, which
are connected by joints that allow relative motion
of neighboring links. These joints are usually
instrumented with position sensors, which allow
the relative position of neighboring links to be
In the case of rotary or revolute joints, these
displacements are called joint angles. Some
manipulators contain sliding (or prismatic) joints,
in which the relative displacement between links
is a translation, sometimes called the joint
offset.
The number of degrees of freedom that a
manipulator possesses is the number of
independent position variables that would have to
be specified in order to locate all parts of the
mechanism.
At the free end of the chain of links that make up
the manipulator is the endeffector. Depending on
the intended application of the robot, the end-
effector could be a gripper, a welding torch, an
electromagnet, or another device. (
 We generally describe the position of the
manipulator by giving a description of the tool
frame, which is attached to the end-effector, relative
to the base frame, which is attached to the
nonmoving base of the manipulator.
 A very basic problem in the study of mechanical
manipulation is called forward kinematics. This is
the static geometrical problem of computing the
position and orientation of the end-effector of the
manipulator.
 Specifically, given a set of joint angles, the forward
kinematic problem is to compute the position
and orientation of the tool frame relative to
the base frame. Sometimes, we think of this as
changing the representation of manipulator position
from a joint space description into a Cartesian space
description
INVERSE KINEMATICS OF
MANIPULATORS
This problem is posed as follows: Given the
position and orientation of the end-effector of the
manipulator, calculate all possible sets of joint
angles that could be used to attain this given
position and orientation
This is a rather complicated geometrical problem
that is routinely solved thousands of times daily
in human and other biological systems. In the
case of an artificial system like a robot, we will
need to create an algorithm in the control
computer that can make this calculation.
The inverse kinematics problem is not as simple
as the forward kinematics one. Because the
kinematic equations are nonlinear, their
solution is not always easy (or even possible) in a
closed form. Also, questions about the existence
of a solution and about multiple solutions arise.
Study of these issues gives one an appreciation
for what the human mind and nervous system are
accomplishing when we, seemingly without
conscious thought, move and manipulate objects
with our arms and hands. The existence or
nonexistence of a kinematic solution defines the
workspace of a given manipulator.
to analyze manipulators in motion. Often, in
performing velocity analysis of a mechanism, it is
convenient to define a matrix quantity called the
Jacobian of the manipulator.
The Jacobian specifies a mapping from velocities
in joint space to velocities in Cartesian space. The
nature of this mapping changes as the
configuration of the manipulator varies. At certain
points, called singularities, this mapping is not
invertible.
SINGULARITY OF THE
MECHANISM
Consider the rear gunner in a World War I—
vintage biplane fighter plane .While the pilot flies
the plane from the front cockpit, the rear gunner's
job is to shoot at enemy aircraft. To perform this
task, his gun is mounted in a mechanism that
rotates about two axes, the motions being called
azimuth and elevation. Using these two
motions (two degrees of freedom), the gunner can
direct his stream of bullets in any direction he
desires
An enemy plane is spotted at azimuth one o'clock
and elevation 25 degrees! The gunner trains his
stream of bullets on the enemy plane and tracks
its motion so as to hit it with a continuous stream
of bullets for as long as possible. He succeeds and
thereby downs the enemy aircraft.in the upper
hemisphere.
A second enemy plane is seen at azimuth one
o'clock and elevation 70 degrees! The gunner
orients his gun and begins firing. The enemy
plane is moving so as to obtain a higher and
higher elevation relative to the gunner's plane.
Soon the enemy plane is passing nearly overhead.
What's this? The gunner is no longer able to keep
his stream of bullets trained on the enemy plane!
He found that, as the enemy plane flew overhead,
he was required to change his azimuth at a very
high rate. He was not able to swing his gun in
azimuth quickly enough, and the enemy plane
escaped
The lucky enemy pilot was saved by a
singularity!
This kind of phenomenon is caused by what
is called a singularity of the mechanism
U2Forward
Kinematics
 Content

• Description Position, orientation and frames.

• Transformation matrices and their arithmetic, link and
joint description,
• Mapping : Changing descriptions to frame to frame,
• Operations: Translation, Rotation and transformation
Denavit-Hartenberg parameters,
• frame assignment to links, direct kinematics,
Description Position, orientation and frames.
• A description is used to specify attributes of various
objects with which a manipulation system deals. These
objects are parts, tools, and the manipulator itself.
 Description of a position
• Once a coordinate system is established, we can locate any
point in the universe with a 3 x 1 position vector. Because we
will often define many coordinate systems in addition to the
universe coordinate system, vectors must be tagged with
information identifying which coordinate system they are
defined within.
 Description of a Orientation
• Often, we will find it necessary not only to represent a
point in space but also to describe the orientation of a
body in space.
 Description of a frame
• The point whose position we will describe is chosen as the origin
of the body-attached frame. The situation of a position and an
orientation pair arises so often in robotics that we define an
entity called a frame, which is a set of four vectors giving position
and orientation information. A frame can be used as a description
of one coordinate system relative to another. A frame
encompasses two ideas by representing both position and
orientation and so may be thought of as a generalization of those
two ideas. Positions could be represented by a frame whose
rotation-matrix part is the identity matrix and whose position-
vector part locates the point being described. Likewise, an
orientation could be represented by a frame whose position-
vector part was the zero vector.
Translation of Frame
Rotation of Frame
Translation and Rotation of
frame