Design and kinematic analysis of A rigid-elastic hybrid gripper with the capability of force sensing

Abstract Gripping force sensing is of vital importance in the application of industrial grippers. However, the existing gripping force sensing methods of grippers mainly depend on the current monitor of the actuating motor, which lacks stability and compliance. This study presents a novel gripper with elastic beams embedded in its actuating mechanism systems. Using the proposed discretized modeling method and local deformation sensing, the maximum force sensing error is 2.5 N with the maximum gripping force over 45 N. This design improves the compactness and stability of the force-sensing system. The gripper shows a profound usage in the industrial automation field.