What are the current trends in grippers for classic non-collaborative industrial robotics?

Markus Glück: In non-collaborative industrial robotics, there is a clear trend towards mechatronization and intelligent grippers. We assume that the aspect of gripping will change fundamentally.

In what way?

Markus Glück: In future, the gripper will be able to decide whether parts are good or bad, create documentation using self-collected measurement data and evaluate the quality of components, for example, thus contributing to seamless traceability. In the medium term, gripper systems will enable statistical evaluations such as Overall Equipment Effectiveness, process capability, Mean Time Between Failure and trend developments such as parameter drift or increases in failure rates.

So the gripper becomes a component tester and process monitor?

Markus Glück: Yes, smart grippers with large strokes, such as our technology carrier based on the 'Schunk EGL', are already able to precisely detect even minimal deviations in the properties of gripped objects with the help of their integrated gripping force and gripping path monitoring. They provide performance and efficiency indicators for process stability in real time, enabling reliable 100% control during the ongoing production process. They also open up the opportunity to react to specific situations in real time, for example by autonomously adjusting process control, issuing alarm messages or sending correction signals to control systems.

What is the situation with collaborative industrial robotics?

Markus Glück: In collaborative industrial robotics, the trend is towards faster processing times, reduced set-up times and improved usability. Schunk provides the integrated "Schunk Co-act EGP-C" product series on the market for this purpose and is working on simplified commissioning routines. Another high-potential field of application is the handling of workpiece weights beyond the assembly of small parts. Up to now, the use of cobots has mainly focused on handling small parts, for example in assembly applications in the electronics industry or in the pick & place of housings, turned and milled parts or printed circuit boards, due to the biomechanical limits specified in ISO/TS 15066. Our "Schunk Co-act EGL-C" large-stroke gripper now enables versatile, collaborative applications with workpiece weights of up to 2.25 kg for the first time; even up to 8 kg are possible in form-fit applications. This opens up great potential, particularly from an ergonomic point of view, especially on machine tools or in the assembly of gears and other components.