Additive Manufactured Grippers Transform Robotics

An often-overlooked robot component that plays a critical role in shaping the efficiency and sustainability of these mechanical marvels is the end of arm gripper. Traditionally crafted from heavy metals, robot grippers have long been emblematic of over-engineering, consuming excessive energy and resources in their operation. However, a transformative shift is underway, propelled by the advent of lightweight additive manufacturing (AM) techniques.

To understand the impact of these new AM grippers, first consider the sheer magnitude of robotic deployment worldwide—more than 3.5 million units in operation and a staggering 500,000-plus new robots enter the market annually. Each of these machines requires grippers tailored to their unique tasks, presenting a significant opportunity for environmental impact mitigation. By embracing lightweight additive manufacturing, gripper design can be revolutionized to reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

In the automotive industry alone, there are estimated to be more than one million robots in factories across the globe. Many of these robots are lifting and positioning parts too unwieldy for humans to handle or repeatedly placing parts in precise locations. In many cases, the robotic grippers that move these parts weigh more than the parts they are moving. This is especially true with parts that move large but relatively lightweight objects like sheet metal panels. Many automotive companies realize these types of robot work cells are good candidates for lightweight robotic grippers.

By shedding unnecessary weight from robot grippers, Siemens is helping robots operate more efficiently. Not only does this drive immediate energy savings, but it also fosters a culture of innovation, allowing grippers to embrace the latest design advancements for enhanced performance and functionality.

At the heart of this revolution are advanced design tools and additive manufacturing technologies. Using fully associative topology optimization, facilitated by software such as Siemens NX Additive Manufacturing, this approach accelerates the design phase and empowers workers with the agility to make real-time modifications, ensuring optimal performance in dynamic industrial environments.

Topology optimization enables designers to identify the most efficient material distribution within gripper structures, thereby minimizing weight without compromising strength or functionality. By leveraging generative design engineering, the production of grippers can be streamlined to comprise fewer parts while being printed in non-metal materials, resulting in significant cost and time savings.

In tandem with additive manufacturing, the integration of simulation tools such as Siemens Tecnomatix Process Simulate plays a pivotal role in quantifying the environmental and cost implications of gripper design iterations. By accurately calculating energy consumption and CO₂ emissions, manufacturers can make informed decisions that prioritize sustainability without sacrificing operational efficiency. Such tangible benefits underscore the transformative power of lightweight grippers in driving sustainable manufacturing practices on a global scale. Lightweight, additive-manufactured robot grippers represent more than just a technological advancement; they help support a shift towards sustainability and efficiency in industrial robotics.

If we think about a single robot cell in an automotive factory using reduced weight grippers, this can lead to further efficiencies. For example, as a factory is retooled for the next job, it is possible to move the larger, less energy efficient robots to areas where their brawn is necessary and replacing them with smaller robots. If we then multiply that savings by each robot in the factory and in each factory across the world, a single company, depending on their size, could achieve substantial savings in energy usage and CO₂ emissions.

Dennis Nier manages additive manufacturing business development at Siemens Digital Industries Software.