Case Study: ABB achieves precise, low‑maintenance assembly with Materialise 3D‑printed pneumatic grippers

Materialise Grippers for Assembly Line Automation

ABB showcased its dual‑arm robot YuMi at EXPO MILANO 2015 to demonstrate automation for small‑parts assembly, but needed grippers that matched human dexterity while being precise, consistent and low‑maintenance. Materialise provided pneumatic, 3D‑printed grippers for YuMi, addressing the challenge of replicating human‑like finger movement on the assembly line.

Materialise developed a hinge‑free, air‑pressure/vacuum pneumatic gripper printed in durable TPU 92A‑1 after early PA 12 prototypes showed creep; fingers are printed separately from the base for lightweight, customizable, and replaceable configurations. The Materialise solution gave YuMi greater precision and consistency in handling parts, improved durability under dynamic loading, and reduced maintenance through modular, replaceable fingers — enabling more reliable, flexible automation on the assembly line.

ABB