What are End Effectors?
End effectors are devices attached to the ends of robotic arms or SCARA devices that grasp, lift, drill, move, screw, weld and do other work, depending on the application.
Many different types of end effectors exist. Depending on the actual work to be performed (the task) and an object's weight, shape, hardness, and materials, a gripper (2-pronged or 3-pronged), vacuum, or magnetic end effector can be used to pick up objects. End effectors for welding, polishing, dispensing, screwing, and many other applications are also available and commonly used. Furthermore, depending on the application and available infrastructure, end effectors can be electrically, pneumatically, or hydraulically driven.
Conventionally, it has been common to select one end effector most appropriate for a given task. However, in recent years, the use of versatile end effectors that are capable of completing many different types of tasks is gaining prominence.
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General-purpose Hand End Effector
The general-purpose hand end effector is a great example of a versatile end effector. As the name implies, it is not limited to one task, but is capable of accomplishing many different tasks. In June 2019, Orbray released its own general-purpose hand end effector, called the K3 Hand.
The K3Hand is dexterous, compact, and lightweight, capable of performing a wide range of tasks such as gripping and manipulating. In addition, the fingertips of the K3Hand are interchangeable. Different tips, such as thin tips, spatula-type tips, elastic/soft tips, jagged/nonslip tips, and other specialized fingertips can be attached to greatly expand the applications of the already versatile K3 general purpose hand.
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