This is a very simple vacuum gripper developed for the Lynxmotion robotic arm used in the PLTW CIM curriculum that demonstrates how suction and vacuum devices are used in industry to pick and place small, and sometimes delicate parts.
Fischertechnik components, and a servo were used to develop suction at the gripper.
It is controlled by the Lynxmotion RIOS software using Servo #8 . Turning on the servo activates the cylinder, picking up and releasing the part. In this video the part is a two square inch, 1/4 inch thick, piece of acrylic which is rather heavy.
The gripper can hold it in place for more than 5 minutes in preliminary testing.
I will post directions on how to build it, including part numbers, shortly. All parts are available at your local hobby shop, except for the Fischertechnik parts.
Here is my version. With a cheap 422 servo it can hold an object for over 30 minutes. If you go to a more powerful servo with a longer arm you can hold something for over 3 hours. I’m still experimenting with the cups. The ones I’m using are a little too firm. The ones that are softer cost more, but I think it will be worth it. I have worked out a plan to make it rotate as well.
You could put a small 9g servo on the end and attach the suction cup to its servo horn for 180 deg rotation. The big servo on the end could also be moved back to the elbow area and operate the in/out on the end via a push/pull rod.
I’ve got the 90° elbow version of the vacuum cup fitting coming. It will be mounted to the end of the light weight wrist rotate. Should be a no brainer to get 180° of rotation at the same axis as before, that being only slightly offset.
