An easy-to-use and cost-efficient fingertip exchange system for robot assembly tasks

For handling in automated (robot-based) assembly processes, different gripper solutions are often required for different parts or process steps. In addition, introducing a new grasping solution can also be a time-consuming job. Previous solutions use e.g. specialized tool changing systems where the entire gripper system is exchanged to handle the variations of different parts, shapes and geometries. However, these systems are expensive and require an entire magazine of complete gripper systems. Therefore, in this paper we present a flexible, easy and cost-efficient fingertip exchange system. In this way, only one gripper is needed, as it can be used for many different fingertips. The system consists of a mechanical fingertip changing system, which can be installed on different (user-specific) gripper systems. In addition, we introduce a Parametrized Finger Method that automates the design for custom fingertips. Important process parameters such as the type of gripper kinematics, grasping force and max. length of the gripper fingers can be taken into account. The fingertips can then be manufactured cost-effectively with a 3D printer and fit perfectly to the individual objects. The system was benchmarked by the task-board task from the World Robot Challenge 2018 and with a UR5 robot. The average success rate of the automatically generated tips in this real-world scenario was 90 %.