Review on Recent Composite Gripper Concepts for Automotive Manufacturing

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to analyze and discuss recent composite concepts for handling grippers in the context of automotive manufacturing. Fiber-reinforced robotic tooling can improve cycle times, power consumptions and robotic investments. Scholar researches and evaluations regarding composite handling grippers are rarely available and make it difficult for designers to implement appropriate concepts. Thus, a systematic research on the state of the art is performed and existing concepts are assessed in order to support prospective operators. Promising concepts do exist but have not become widely accepted in automotive manufactories yet, conditioned by residual problems.