The gripper belongs in the first conversation

Identify where and how the part may be held. Fragile surfaces, temperature and part variation can change the tooling decision.

Consider the end effector and its services alongside the workpiece. Ask the integrator to review the complete motion and handling requirements.

Trial representative parts and difficult cases. Document what happens when a part is missing, misplaced or outside the expected range.

Write down the missing information from this guide and assign an owner to each item. Keep the current revision of your brief with the associated drawings and records.

Collect examples representing the expected range of part surfaces, dimensions and orientations. Describe how parts arrive and where they must be placed. An oily turned component, a flexible pouch and a smooth carton create different contact and release questions even when their mass is similar. Make those differences visible in the brief. Document the required pickup area, allowable contact marks and available clearance. Ask how a successful grip will be detected and how the process responds to an unsuccessful pick. Include the weight and arrangement of tooling in the application review rather than treating the end effector as an afterthought. Plan trials using representative samples and record both successful cycles and exceptions. The objective is to understand the whole handling task, including part presentation and recovery, before fixing the tooling concept. Any retention, safety or protective requirements must be confirmed for the real cell by the responsible integrator.