A low-cost reconfigurable gripper for assembly and disassembly tasks in white industry

The paper addresses the flexible assembly and disassembly of electromechanical products in white industry. The work is in the frame of a research project on modular assembly systems for innovative production systems. For the assembly and disassembly of washing-machine components, instead of a sequence of dedicated stations with specialized grippers designed for each component, the alternative solution of high degree-of-freedom assembly cells using reconfigurable grippers for components holding and handling is investigated. A low-cost, multifunctional adaptable gripper for handling cylindrical and prismatic shaped parts within dimensional ranges typical of the washing machines components, as provided by the industrial partner Electrolux-Zanussi, is presented and its functionalities shown and evaluated.