Pneumatic Grippers

Pneumatic grippers operate like fingers to grip and release items. They are powered by a cylinder operating on compressed air. When air is supplied, the gripper jaws open. When the direction of the air is changed, the gripper releases. The purpose of the gripper is to hold objects to either change their orientation or to move them as part of a pick-and-place operation. They can be used to pick up everything from small, delicate objects, such as a transistor or chip for a circuit board, to very large items such as an engine block for a car. Grippers come in various opening sizes, gripping strengths, and the gripping surface shapes. They are often used with industrial robots. They are used in many different industries including packaging, automotive, appliances, electronic, medical, and aerospace.