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Experimental comparison of Bernoulli gripper and vortex gripper

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Abstract

A Bernoulli gripper and a vortex gripper are types of pneumatic grippers that have similar functions but different working principles. They are widely used for performing gripping, transferring, and placing operations in automated production lines. This study systematically compares the two grippers and provides an objective reference to enable users to choose an appropriate gripper. First, we present the working principles of both grippers. Then, we measure the curves of suction force, air consumption, and upstream pressure; furthermore, we analyze and compare the energy consumption from the viewpoint of the entire pneumatic system. The results reveal the relationships with the air consumption and total energy consumption. Next, we measure the pressure distribution formed on the upper surface of the workpiece. From the experimental results, the principles of the two grippers are stated and compared. Furthermore, we use the pressure distribution data to estimate the deformation and inner stress of the workpiece. The influence of the grippers on the workpiece are analyzed and compared from a material mechanics viewpoint. Finally, we use three types of rough surfaces to qualitatively evaluate and compare the performance of the grippers when gripping a workpiece with a rough surface.

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Abbreviations

D :

bending stiffness

E :

Young’s modulus

Ė gripper :

gripper’s energy consumption

Ė system :

energy dissipation of the air supply system

Ė total :

total energy

g :

acceleration of gravity

h max :

optimal gap height

h w :

thickness of workpiece

M r :

radial bending moment

M a :

circumferential bending moment

P a :

atmospheric pressure

P c :

outlet pressure of air compressor

P u :

upstream pressure of gripper

q :

resultant load

Q :

flow rate in the standard state

r :

radius

R :

radius of circular glass workpiece

τ :

shear stress

δ :

deformation

v :

Poisson’s ratio

ρ :

density of workpiece

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Lab of Fluid Power Transmission and Control, Zhejiang University, 38 Zheda-road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310027, China

    Xin Li, Ning Li, Guoliang Tao & Hao Liu

  2. Precision and Intelligence Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, 226-8503, Japan

    Toshiharu Kagawa

Authors
  1. Xin Li
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  2. Ning Li
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  3. Guoliang Tao
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  4. Hao Liu
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  5. Toshiharu Kagawa
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Correspondence to Xin Li.

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Li, X., Li, N., Tao, G. et al. Experimental comparison of Bernoulli gripper and vortex gripper. Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf. 16, 2081–2090 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12541-015-0270-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12541-015-0270-3

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