How Does the Blue Robotics Gripper Work Internally? (Mechanical Details Needed)

Blue Robotics Products Newton Gripper
1

Hi everyone,

I’m currently working on designing a custom underwater gripper for a robotics project, and I’m very interested in understanding how the Blue Robotics Gripper works internally — especially its mechanical design and actuation system.

I’ve read the product documentation and seen it in action, but I’d love to learn more about the internal components:

  • What mechanism drives the jaws (e.g., leadscrew, gear system, etc.)?
  • How is the waterproofing achieved for the moving parts?
  • Is there a direct motor-to-jaw connection, or does it use linkages or other transmission methods?

I’m not planning to copy the design — just trying to understand the engineering behind it so I can build a different gripper suited to my own needs.

Any insights, photos, or technical explanations would be really appreciated!

Thanks in advance,
Hamid

2

Hi @mammadli.h, welcome to the forum :slight_smile:

These are the most relevant forum threads I was able to find:

In terms of key functionality, there’s a geared down DC motor which drives a lead screw, which extends and retracts a piston attached to the pivot point of the jaws (which can be replaced with custom ones).

For easy integration with the single-directional servo-style PWM control that some of our other electronics use, there’s an internal ESC that treats ranges of pulse durations as (respectively) close / stop / open commands. Current measurements allow detecting when the resistance suddenly increases, which provides dynamic end-stops (e.g. for when the jaws are fully opened, or closed onto an object).

1 Like