Gripping Terms: Force, Travel and Compliance
Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Grip force | Force applied to hold the part |
| Travel | Distance the jaws move |
| Compliance | Ability to absorb positional or shape variation |
| Repeatability | Consistency of jaw position between cycles |
| Holding force versus dynamic load | Static grip against acceleration |
Practical points
- Grip force must exceed dynamic loads, not just the part weight.
- Compliance reduces the placement precision needed.
- Pads and cups are wear items; their condition changes grip.
Grip settings should be recorded with the program and reviewed after any part or tooling change.