END EFFECTOR – 21044

An end effector is a device or tool connected to the end of a robot arm. The nature of the end effects depends on the intended task.

If a robot is designed to set the table for supper, “hands,” more often called robot grippers, can be attached to the ends of the robot arms. In an assembly-line robot designed to insert screws into cabinets, a rotating shaft device and screwdriver head can be attached at the end of the arm. Such a rotating shaft might also be fitted with a bit for drilling holes, or an emery disk for sanding wood.

A given type of robot arm can usually accommodate only certain kinds of end effectors. One cannot take a table-setting robot, simply replace one of its grippers with a screwdriver, and then expect it to tighten the screws on the hinges of kitchen cabinets. Such a task change requires a change in the programming of the robot controller, so it operates in “handyrobot mode” rather than in “waitrobot mode.” One must also change the hardware in the robot arm to operate a rotating end effector rather than a gripper.