in the 21st century, under the influences of globalization,
manufacturing companies are required to meet continuously changing demands in terms of product volume,
variety and rapid response. ‘‘flexible and reconfigurable
manufacturing systems (FMS and RMS)’’ have emerged as
a science and industrial practice to bring about solutions
for unpredictable and frequently changing market conditions. In order to fully realize the benefits of RMS and
FMS, the grippers, being one of the few direct contacts
with the product at the very bottom of the manufacturing
chain, must also be designed for flexibility.