Rack & Pinion Robotic Gripper Jaw

thingiverse

Servo Controlled Robotic Gripper using rack & pinion drive for parallel jaw movement https://youtu.be/Qfd0ikdnAsg This robotic gripper/jaw uses a low-cost Tower Pro MG996R servo to achieve direct control over both jaws with a rack and pinion action. Unlike traditional lever grippers, this design drives both jaws in a totally parallel motion, resulting in slightly more grip. It can be easily modified to fit onto a robotic arm. The following components are required: 1pcs Tower Pro MG 996R servo motor (approx price UK £5 / US $10) M3x15mm Screws (4 pcs) M3x10mm Screws (4 pcs) M3 nuts (8 pcs) To drive the gripper, a servo motor test board and a USB phone charger (2.5A) can be used. Alternatively, an arduino can also be employed. Servo tester board: https://www.banggood.com/Servo-Tester-Third-Gear-Switch-With-Indicator-Light-4_2V-To-6_0v-p-1079862.html In October 2018, I added an alternative JAW with a wider opening of about 70mm, but it only closes to approximately 22mm. This modification was requested to enable the gripper to operate a Rubik's cube measuring 57mm Square. Note that this modification has not been tested and may require further calibration. In May 2019, reports emerged indicating that the pinion does not have teeth to engage with the motor spindle, causing it to spin freely. However, upon inspection of my own design, I found the pinion to be securely attached to the motor spindle. The issue is likely due to the fact that the pinion has two distinct sides: one with a deeper and smaller hole recess for secure attachment to the motor spindle, and another with a shallower and larger recess accommodating an M3 screw head. To resolve this problem, ensure that the tighter side is pushed onto the spindle motor.