Exploring Different Types of Robotic Grippers in Manufacturing

In today’s fast-paced manufacturing landscape, robots are becoming essential for addressing labor shortages, rising costs, and the demand for efficient production. At the core of any robotic automation system, the robotic gripper is recognized as a critical end-of-arm tool (EOAT) that enables precise and versatile tasks to be executed effectively. In this article, we will explore the different types of robotic grippers and their key applications in manufacturing.

1. What is a Robotic Gripper?

A robotic gripper acts as the “hand” of a robot, enabling it to grip, hold, and manipulate objects. These tools are vital for tasks like pick-and-place, assembly, sorting, and packaging, making automation faster, smarter, and more reliable.

2. Different Types of Robotic Grippers and Their Applications

a. Electric Grippers

How they work: Electric grippers use motors to provide precise and programmable control over jaw movement, allowing for adjustable speed, force, and positioning. They are ideal for tasks that require fine control, such as delicate assembly or pick-and-place operations. Available in two- and three-jaw configurations, electric grippers offer versatility, with three-jaw models particularly suited for handling round or cylindrical objects. While less powerful than hydraulic or pneumatic grippers, they excel in applications needing precision and customizable control.

Advantages	Limitations
Precise, programmable force, speed, and position control – ideal for delicate or high-precision parts Software-adjustable parameters mean fast changeover between product variants without hardware swaps – a strong fit for HMLV/cobot cells No compressed air required, which means lower long-term operating cost and simpler integration Rich data feedback (position, force) supports quality control and traceability	Lower raw gripping force than pneumatic or hydraulic grippers of similar size Higher upfront cost than a comparable pneumatic unit Requires electrical/control integration – slightly more setup than plugging into an existing compressed-air line

Advantages

Limitations

Precise, programmable force, speed, and position control – ideal for delicate or high-precision parts
Software-adjustable parameters mean fast changeover between product variants without hardware swaps – a strong fit for HMLV/cobot cells
No compressed air required, which means lower long-term operating cost and simpler integration
Rich data feedback (position, force) supports quality control and traceability

Lower raw gripping force than pneumatic or hydraulic grippers of similar size
Higher upfront cost than a comparable pneumatic unit
Requires electrical/control integration – slightly more setup than plugging into an existing compressed-air line

Applications: Suitable for assembly, electronics, and high-precision tasks.

Note: Within the electric gripper category, smart grippers extend these capabilities with integrated sensors and programmable parameters – making them particularly suited for applications where part variety is high.

b. Vacuum Grippers

How they work: Use suction to lift, hold, and manipulate items by creating a pressure difference between the gripper and the object’s surface. This vacuum is generated by either a miniature electromechanical pump or a compressed air-driven pump. Compressed air-driven grippers are up to ten times more powerful than electromechanical ones, making them suitable for heavy lifting. Electromechanical grippers, on the other hand, excel in tasks requiring greater mobility. Vacuum grippers are ideal for delicate or flat objects, as the suction can be finely controlled to avoid damage.

Advantages	Limitations
Gentle on delicate or flat surfaces – minimal risk of surface damage A single suction cup adapts to varied shapes without mechanical refixturing – useful for mixed-SKU packaging lines Lightweight, simple mechanism (electromechanical pump option) suits cobot arms well Fast cycle times for high-throughput pick-and-place	Requires an airtight seal – struggles with porous, rough, or perforated surfaces Compressed-air-driven units add air supply cost and complexity Less reliable for irregular or very heavy objects without a specialized cup design

Applications: Widely used in logistics, packaging, and food handling.

c. Pneumatic Grippers

How they work: Use compressed air and pistons to operate its ‘jaws’ (also known as ‘fingers’). Most commonly found in 2-finger and 3-finger configurations, pneumatic grippers are versatile tools that can be used in a wide range of applications.

Advantages

Limitations

High force-to-size ratio at a low price point (typically USD 200–800)
Simple mechanism with no motors – well-built units can run tens of millions of cycles with minimal maintenance
Fast actuation, well suited to high-speed pick-and-place
Leverages compressed-air infrastructure most factories already have

Force control is less precise than electric – hard to fine-tune very light or delicate grips
Requires a compressed-air supply, adding cost/complexity where one doesn’t already exist, plus a risk of air-line leaks
Force is set per pressure/valve configuration rather than a software parameter, so adapting to a new part typically means manual adjustment — slower changeover than electric for HMLV lines

Applications: Popular in manufacturing, automotive, and metalworking industries.

d. Hydraulic Grippers

How they work: Power by hydraulic fluids, hydraulic grippers provide more gripping power than their pneumatic counterparts. However with that power come several disadvantages, including the added complexity of handling oil, a pump, and a reservoir. Consequently, hydraulic grippers tend to be higher maintenance than other gripper types.

Advantages	Limitations
Highest raw gripping force of the four types – suited to very heavy, oversized parts Reliable, consistent performance under sustained heavy loads	High maintenance: requires managing oil, a pump, and a reservoir, often needing skilled technicians Highest purchase and operating cost among the four gripper types Risk of fluid leaks or contamination – unsuitable for cleanroom environments Payload and complexity mismatch with cobots – essentially never used in collaborative or HMLV cells, since reconfiguring a hydraulic system for a new job is slow and costly

Advantages

Limitations

Highest raw gripping force of the four types – suited to very heavy, oversized parts
Reliable, consistent performance under sustained heavy loads

High maintenance: requires managing oil, a pump, and a reservoir, often needing skilled technicians
Highest purchase and operating cost among the four gripper types
Risk of fluid leaks or contamination – unsuitable for cleanroom environments
Payload and complexity mismatch with cobots – essentially never used in collaborative or HMLV cells, since reconfiguring a hydraulic system for a new job is slow and costly

Applications: Best suited for heavy-duty industrial applications like construction and shipbuilding.

Gripper Comparison at a Glance

Type	Typical Grip Force	Biggest Advantage	Biggest Trade-off	Best Fit
Electric	100–185 N (up to 5 kN for high-force servo models)	Programmable precision, fast HMLV changeover	Lower raw force, higher upfront cost	Precision assembly, electronics, HMLV/cobot cells
Vacuum	Payload up to ~20 kg (air-driven units up to 10x stronger than electromechanical)	Gentle on delicate/flat items	Needs airtight seal, struggles on porous surfaces	Packaging, food handling, logistics
Pneumatic	30 N – 2,000+ N	Low cost, very high cycle life	Coarser force control, slower changeover	High-speed pick-and-place, automotive, general manufacturing
Hydraulic	Best for >50 kg payloads	Maximum raw force	High maintenance, not cobot-compatible	Heavy-duty: construction, shipbuilding

3. How to Choose the Right Robotic Gripper?

Among different types of robotic grippers, choosing the right one involves considering several key factors:

Object Characteristics

Start with the size, shape, weight, and material of what you’re picking up. For example, a flat, delicate panel calls for a very different gripper than a rough metal casting. These physical properties are the first filter for which mechanism can hold the part safely.

Application

Identify the task itself: pick-and-place, packaging, or precision assembly each demands a different balance of speed, accuracy, and grip style. For instance, A packaging line prioritizes cycle speed and gentle handling, while precision assembly prioritizes repeatable positioning accuracy. The same gripper rarely excels at both without some compromise.

Space Considerations

Check the physical envelope the gripper has to work in. A cell with tight clearance around the workpiece, a small cobot arm, or a confined machine-tending cell can rule out bulkier mechanisms regardless of how well they’d otherwise perform. Compact electric or slim pneumatic designs are usually the fallback in these cases.

Gripping Mechanism

Match the mechanism to what you’ve defined above: parallel motion for precision work, suction for delicate or flat items, or pneumatic jaws for heavy-duty, high-speed tasks.

Robot Compatibility

Confirm the gripper is certified to work with your robot or cobot brand – UR, Jaka, Kuka, ABB, FANUC, and others each have their own mounting and communication standards. Skipping this check is one of the most common causes of integration delays and unplanned cost.

Production Flexibility (HMLV Changeover)

If your line runs high-mix, low-volume production, this factor deserves as much weight as force or precision. Software-configurable grippers let operators switch between product variants in minutes via a stored job library, instead of the hours a hard-tooled fixture change typically takes – a difference that compounds quickly on a line serving many SKUs.

For a closer look at how this plays out on the shop floor, see our comparison of electric vs. pneumatic grippers for high-mix machine tending.

Cost and Efficiency

Balance the purchase price against what the environment and workload will demand of it long-term. In fact, maintenance, downtime, and air-supply costs add up over multiple shifts. For versatility across several applications without buying multiple gripper types, options like Apicoo’s SusGrip are worth evaluating.

Environment

Determine if the gripper needs to function in a cleanroom, a wet or dusty environment, or under extreme temperatures. These conditions can rule out certain materials or mechanisms outright – hydraulic systems, for instance, are a poor fit for cleanrooms due to the risk of fluid leaks.

Feedback and Certifications

Decide whether you need data feedback, such as force or position sensing for quality control – and whether the application requires certifications like food-safe materials, while also confirming the gripper’s rated payload matches your heaviest part.

For a practical example of how these factors apply in real production, see our guide on choosing a cobot gripper for machine tending.

4. Why Choose SusGrip Smart Grippers?

Apicoo Robotics developed the SusGrip (Electric Gripper) to solve common automation challenges that:

Reduce end-of-arm tool costs by 20-50%
Plug-and-play compatibility with Universal Robot and most cobots.
Adaptable for all workers with minimal training time:
- Parallel Motion: No height adjustments needed
- Absolute Encoder: Instant startup without recalibration
- Multi-Control Modes: From GPIO simplicity to RTU-Modbus for advanced control
- Intuitive GUI: Simple, user-friendly graphical interface

For HMLV manufacturers specifically, the combination of instant startup (no recalibration between jobs) and software-adjustable force/stroke means a single SusGrip unit can cover multiple part families without a hardware change..

At Apicoo Robotics, we’re committed to simplifying automation for businesses of all sizes.

Ready to transform your manufacturing process? Contact us to schedule a demo.