The Modelling of Contact Force of the Robot Gripper for Deformable Object using Finite Elements Method

Designing of robot gripper is an emerging research area due to its applicability in automation, especially for handling of soft objects. This paper presents a mathematical model of robot grippers for soft material. The grippers are capable of grasping soft objects and they require minimum contact force to prevent damage or deformation of the objects. The contact force on the gripping surface depends upon the shape of the changeable contact area between the gripper surface and the surface of the object because of the changing contact region. Using ANSYS software, these deformations are simulated, relating to a flat gripper and soft gripped materials using elasticity theory. Simulation results are analyzed. These results show that contact force depends on contact pressure and contact area of the deformed surface. This model produced the best results when contact force included in the model. The proposed approach is needed for precise estimation of contact forces, which is needed in real time feedback control system to regulate the contact force for handling soft objects and prevent slip based on force control approaches.