Position and Suction Control of a Reconfigurable Robotic Gripper*

This paper discusses position and suction control of a multi-degree-of-freedom reconfigurable robotic gripper system (RGS) consisting of four arms in a crossbar configuration, with a flat surface, fixed dimensions, suction unit (cup) mounted on each of the four arms. A fuzzy logic based controller has been implemented to regulate, coordinate and maintain the amount of suction generated through each of the suction units and the positioning of the suction cups along each arm length. The RGS is integrated with AdeptOne and/or AdeptThree commercial manipulators and used to automate limp material handling, reliably, without distortion, deformation and/or folding. Extensive simulation results indicate that the RGS control system is robust, reliable and accurate, and meets a set of system requirements specified by the industry. A prototype system is being built, based on the derived design and model of the system.