Group Packaging Robotic Gripper
A robotic gripper designed for group packaging, capable of lifting a full pallet of assorted beverage packs in one motion. The gripper first compresses the packs one by one into a tight bundle. It then applies pressure from both sides while using vacuum suction from above to prevent the central packages from collapsing. The gripper was also required to tolerate moderate size variations between different pack types.
The robot can change the gripper autonomously, and part of the interface design was developed in-house. Bestdan’s role included ideation in collaboration with the client, mechanical design, structural integration and alignment, motion planning, and force analysis.
Design concepts and solutions were co-developed and reviewed with the client. Many structural elements were engineered to be easy to assemble in the client’s production line, and included adjustability. The compression mechanism’s curved arms were strength-optimized using FEM software, giving them not only durability but also a touch of functional design—differentiating them visually from surrounding components.
