A pneumatic gripper is a specific type of pneumatic actuator

Pneumatic motor

A pneumatic motor or compressed air engine is a type of motor which does mechanical work by expanding compressed air. Pneumatic motors generally convert the compressed air to mechanical work through either linear or rotary motion...

 that typically involves either parallel or angular motion of surfaces, A.K.A “tooling jaws or fingers” that will grip an object. When combined with other pneumatic

Pneumatics

Pneumatics is a branch of technology, which deals with the study and application of use of pressurized gas to effect mechanical motion.Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry, where factories are commonly plumbed with compressed air or compressed inert gases...

, electric, or hydraulic

Hydraulics

Hydraulics is a topic in applied science and engineering dealing with the mechanical properties of liquids. Fluid mechanics provides the theoretical foundation for hydraulics, which focuses on the engineering uses of fluid properties. In fluid power, hydraulics is used for the generation, control,...

 components, the gripper can be used as part of a "pick and place" system that will allow a component to be picked up and placed somewhere else as part of a manufacturing system.

Some grippers act directly on the object they are gripping based on the force of the air pressure supplied to the gripper, while others will use a mechanism such as a gear or toggle to leverage the amount of force applied to the object being gripped. Grippers can also vary in terms of the opening size, the amount of force that can be applied, and the shape of the gripping surfaces—frequently called "tooling jaws or fingers". They can be used to pick up everything from very small items (a transistor

Transistor

A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current...

 or chip for a circuit board, for example) to very large items, such as an engine block for a car. Grippers are frequently added to industrial robots in order to allow the robot to interact with other objects.

Common industrial pneumatic components include:

• pneumatic direct operated solenoid valve
  Solenoid valve
  A solenoid valve is an electromechanical valve for use with liquid or gas. The valve is controlled by an electric current through a solenoid: in the case of a two-port valve the flow is switched on or off; in the case of a three-port valve, the outflow is switched between the two outlet ports...
  
  
• pneumatic pilot operated solenoid valve
• pneumatic external piloted solenoid valve
• pneumatic manual valve
  Valve
  A valve is a device that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically pipe fittings, but are usually discussed as a separate category...
  
  
• pneumatic valve with air pilot actuator
• pneumatic filter
  Pneumatic filter
  A pneumatic filter is a device which removes contaminants from a compressed air stream. This can be done using a number of different techniques, from using a "media" type that traps particulates, but allows air to pass through to a venturi, to a membrane that only allows air to pass through.-...
  
  
• pneumatic pressure regulator
  Pressure regulator
  A pressure regulator is a valve that automatically cuts off the flow of a liquid or gas at a certain pressure. Regulators are used to allow high-pressure fluid supply lines or tanks to be reduced to safe and/or usable pressures for various applications....
  
  
• pneumatic lubricator
  Pneumatic lubricator
  The pneumatic lubricator is a device which injects an aerosolized stream of oil into the airline. This is used to provide lubrication for internal working parts of pneumatic tools and components such as actuating cylinders, valves and motors....
  
  
• pneumatic pressure switch
  Pneumatic pressure switch
  A pressure switch is a form of switch that makes electrical contact when a certain set pressure has been reached on its input. This is used to provide on/off switching from a pneumatic or hydraulic source...
  
  
• pneumatic manual OSHA-type lock out and dump valve
• pneumatic solenoid dump valve
• pneumatic pressure vessel
  Pressure vessel
  A pressure vessel is a closed container designed to hold gases or liquids at a pressure substantially different from the ambient pressure.The pressure differential is dangerous and many fatal accidents have occurred in the history of their development and operation. Consequently, their design,...
  
  
• pneumatic rodless cylinder
• pneumatic gripper
• pneumatic rotary actuator
• pneumatic fitting
• pneumatic flow control
  Pneumatic flow control
  Pneumatic flow control is the use of air as a control medium, or as the controlled medium, in which one medium controls the flow of another.-Pneumatic flow control taxonomy:...
  
  
• pneumatic quick exhaust valve
• pneumatic pressure booster
• pneumatic polyurethane
  Polyurethane
  A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
  
   tubing
• pneumatic quick disconnect