Design of end-effectors for a chemistry automation plant

In typical chemistry experiments, there are many manual processes; chemistry automation is the process of automating these. In this paper, we describe work done to develop end-effectors that extend current capabilities of chemistry automation plants. The hierarchy established, the design process employed, and four end-effectors: the “Claw”, “Balloon”, “Cross”, and “Band” are presented, described, and discussed. The Claw, Balloon, and Band end-effectors were able to successfully pick-and-place bottles with diameters between 10 and 30 mm. Evaluating the designs, the Band end-effector was chosen as the working solution for use in future work.