TriCoM Gripper Fabrication and Soft Pad Analysis for Enhanced Delicate Object Handling

This paper presents the complete fabrication workflow for the TriCoM compliant gripper—an underactuated, three-fingered end-effector designed for the gentle grasping of fragile agricultural produce. We begin with an overview of the gripper’s mechanical architecture before turning to a comprehensive study of its soft pad interfaces. First, we characterize how pad stiffness varies with thickness and how thickness influences the deformation imparted to soft targets (e.g., fruits). Next, we compare differentiated versus homogeneous pad designs in terms of slippage resistance under load. Following these analyses, we detail the additive manufacturing–driven fabrication of the gripper structure, guided at every step by a Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) methodology. Finally, we demonstrate assembly of the 3D-printed gripper and the attachment of cast silicone pads, completing the end-to-end realization of the TriCoM gripper.