CSA Robotic Arm
End-Effector

Overview

As part of a Queen's University engineering design course, our team partnered directly with the Canadian Space Agency to design a robotic arm end-effector prototype. The CSA provided the design requirements and acted as a real client throughout the project, reviewing milestones and providing feedback at each stage.

The end-effector needed to interface with a standard robotic arm mounting flange, provide a compliant gripping surface for irregular payloads, and be manufacturable using desktop additive manufacturing tools — making TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) a key material choice.

Design Process

We began with a requirements analysis session with the CSA stakeholders, translating mission objectives into quantitative design parameters: grip force, jaw travel, payload geometry, and mass budget.

• Concept ideation using morphological charts and Pugh matrices to down-select to two final candidates
• Parametric CAD models in SolidWorks for rapid iteration
• FEA on structural members to identify and remove material where stress was low, reducing mass
• Flexible jaw pads printed in TPU to conform to irregular surfaces without marring them

Fabrication & Testing

The structural components were printed in PLA+ for rigidity, with TPU finger pads co-assembled onto the jaw arms. The full prototype was assembled, mounted to a test fixture, and evaluated against the CSA's acceptance criteria.

• Print tolerances tuned for slip-fit joints — no post-processing required for assembly
• Grip force measured with a load cell at multiple jaw positions
• Payload retention tested with simulated irregular objects at varying orientations

Outcome

The prototype met all primary CSA requirements and was delivered on schedule. The project was a strong introduction to working within real client constraints and using simulation tools to drive design decisions rather than relying on intuition alone.

Photos