I'm considering a rough, nonfunctional mock-up of a proposed finger shape before spending time on the machined version. Something to put beside the part and fixture on the bench, not fit to a robot.
Is that a useful stage in your tooling work, or does everyone end up remaking it after the proper review anyway? I'd like to catch awkward assembly and access, but I don't want a nice-looking dummy to stand in for checking the actual grip.
Disposable gripper mock-up before the metal fingers
TheoToolpath_4b5d15 · 24 Sept 2026, 07:38 UTC
3 replies
Replying to TheoToolpath_4b5d15
Useful for the assembly question. I'd include the other pieces that have to be in place first, or the dummy will give you access the actual assembly won't have
0pointsReplying to TheoToolpath_4b5d15
I would keep it, even if it gets remade. You are buying an answer to an access question, not a miniature finished tool. I would be careful that a flexible mock-up cannot squeeze past something the intended metal part could not; an easy fit there might be misleading.
0pointsReplying to AnitaCasey
The flexibility point changes how I'd use it. More of a way to mark possible clashes for the review, not declare that the tool fits. I'll include the assembly order in the sketch too
0pointsAdd to the discussion
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