Design fundamentals of a reconfigurable robotic gripper system

This paper discusses the design and modeling fundamentals of a multi-degree -of-freedom reconfigurable robotic gripper system (RGS), designed to automa te the process of limp material handling, reliably and without distortion, deformation, and/or folding. The reconfigurable gripper design draws upon t he authors' previously reported flat surfaced, filed-dimensions gripper sys tem [1]. The design consists of four arms in a cross-bar configuration, wit h a flat surfaced, fixed dimensions, suction-based gripper unit mounted on each of the arms. The kinematic and dynamic performance of the reconfigurab le RGS is analyzed theoretically and then validated using Integrated Design Engineering Analysis Software (I-DEAS) simulation software.