Like people, robots need to be placed in jobs that best suit their capabilities. Some robots, for example, are more productive when they work alone or in tandem to complete an assembly process. Others are specifically designed to work alongside humans on the assembly line.
However, each robot requires the right end-effector—also called end-of-arm tooling (EOAT)—to properly perform a specific task. An end-effector is any object that attaches to the robot’s flange (wrist). End-effectors include grippers, suction cups, clamps, tool changers, collision sensors, rotary joints, press tooling, compliance devices, deburring tools, dispense valves, arc welding guns, and many other types of tooling.