SPIDER GRIPPER
Lightweight Multi-Point Vacuum Gripper for High-Speed Robotic Handling
Flexible Gripping for Complex Product Geometries
- High-speed pick and place operations
- Flexible product handling across multiple SKUs
- Food and beverage packaging lines
- Consumer packaged goods handling
- Cobot collaborative robot integration
- Logistics and distribution centers
- Light industrial assembly applications
- Multi-product handling without tool change
Why Choose the Spider Gripper?
FLEXIBLE
FAST
COBOT READY
SAFER
COMPLETE
EFFICIENT
FLEXIBLE MULTI-POINT ARM DESIGN
Configure the Spider Gripper (SPI)
Browse every SPI configuration, compare part numbers and specifications, and build a quote without leaving this page. The catalogue below is filtered to the SPI family.
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Geometry That Carries the Load
Every gram and every suction point on the Spider Gripper is placed with intent, so the tool stays light while the grip stays stable.
Balanced Multi-Point Geometry
Each Spider Gripper is engineered with a balanced geometry that distributes load evenly across every suction point to maintain stable performance. The lightweight 3D printed structure allows precise alignment and consistent sealing on both flat and irregular surfaces.
This optimized arrangement improves airflow efficiency, reduces energy loss, and supports smooth, repeatable handling in continuous operation, with arm layouts spanning product faces up to 800 mm by 600 mm.
- Even load distribution across every suction point
- Consistent sealing on flat and irregular surfaces
- Less moving mass, faster accelerations, lower energy use
Two Independently Controlled Vacuum Zones
Each Spider Gripper includes two vacuum zones that can be activated separately or together. This setup allows precise handling of multiple products, irregular layouts, or surfaces with varying geometries in a single operation.
- Pick and place two products in one cycle
- Activate only the zone your product needs
- Adapts to mixed layouts without a tool change
Suction Cups and Pitch, Configured for Your Product
Every Spider Gripper layout is fully customizable to match product size, shape, and surface requirements. Whether the setup uses four, six, or eight suction cups in 40 mm, 60 mm, or 80 mm diameters, the spacing, orientation, and number of cups are adjusted for uniform contact and optimal vacuum performance across the handling area.
Custom pitch dimensions and cup arrangements are configured during design to ensure consistent airflow and balanced load distribution. Each setup delivers precise grip strength and stability while maintaining the lightweight construction the Spider Gripper is known for.
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Lightweight EOAT | Increased robot speed and lower energy consumption |
| Modular design | Easy integration into existing packaging lines |
| Vacuum gripping technology | Reliable product pickup and transfer |
| Precision engineered structure | Optimized strength-to-weight ratio |
| Compact footprint | Ideal for space-constrained automation cells |
| Fast changeover capability | Supports multiple product formats |
| High cycle performance | Improved production throughput |
| Low maintenance design | Reduced downtime and operational costs |
Swap Grippers Between Batches in Seconds
With the Integrated Vacuum Tool Changer (IVTC), the same robot can dock its Spider Gripper (SPI) and pick up a different cup layout, a wider frame, or an entirely different tool in about three seconds, without an operator touching the cell.
Vacuum is generated on the changer, so each tool needs no pump or hosing of its own. High-mix lines keep one robot and a rack of lightweight printed tools instead of a dedicated cell per format.
Read the tool changer guide
Multi-point flexible arms for varied product shapes
Ultra-lightweight for maximum cobot payload efficiency
Fast tool changeover with quick-release mounting
Compatible with UR, FANUC, KUKA, ABB and more
Integrated vacuum generation and sensor feedback
No sharp edges, safe for collaborative environments
Industries We Support
Area Surface Gripper vs Spider Gripper
Both are vacuum grippers built for different handling jobs. Use this comparison to match the right tool to your product weight, footprint, and cup layout.
| Application Benefits |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Palletizing | ||
| Offset load over 5 kg | ||
| Gripper over 390 mm | ||
| Lighter and more cost effective | ||
| Uses foam or suction cups | ||
| Suction cup array over 8 | ||
| 8 suction cups or fewer |
NEED A GRIPPER SOLUTION FOR YOUR ROBOT LINE?
Request a QuoteWhat Makes the Spider Gripper Different
The Spider Gripper (SPI) is a lightweight, multi-point vacuum gripper engineered for speed. Instead of a large volume plenum, the SPI places individual vacuum inlets exactly where the product needs support, arranged on slim spider arms. Less material moves with every cycle, which means faster accelerations, lower payload consumption on the robot, and quicker pick and place rates on cobots and industrial robots alike.
Spider Gripper (SPI)
Strategically placed vacuum inlets on a spider arm frame maximize gripping efficiency per gram of tool weight.
- Optimized for high speed picking and palletizing
- Cost effective and highly configurable
- Ideal in tool changing cells handling varied product sizes
- Preconfigured layouts for common industry applications
Area Surface Gripper (ASG)
A large volume plenum with a full vacuum surface, the better choice when products need support across their entire face.
- Full surface contact for flat, fragile, or irregular goods
- Foam or dense cup arrays across one plenum
- Suited to glass, panels, and shrink wrapped multipacks
- See the Area Surface Gripper page for details
Preconfigured Spider Gripper Options
Preconfigured Spider Grippers ship in proven layouts for the most common robotic picking applications, and every parameter can still be tuned to your product mix. Configuration happens across three simple choices.
Size and Inlet Pattern
Choose the frame size and the arrangement of vacuum inlets to match your product footprint, from single item picks to multi unit patterns.
One or Two Vacuum Zones
Run the whole tool as a single zone, or split it into two independently controlled zones to pick two products, or two different sizes, without a tool change.
Suction Cup Selection
Select from a range of suction cup types and diameters to suit cartons, bags, trays, and smooth or textured surfaces at your line speed.
Need something outside the standard layouts? The same additive manufacturing process that builds our preconfigured tools produces fully custom Spider Gripper geometries, so complex pick patterns and unusual products are engineered rather than compromised.
Built for High Speed Picking and Palletizing
Every Spider Gripper is produced with industrial SLS 3D printing, which makes the tool up to 30 percent lighter than a comparable aluminum gripper while keeping structural stiffness where the load paths need it. On a palletizing robot, that weight saving converts directly into faster cycle times or a smaller robot for the same job. As palletizing end of arm tooling, the SPI keeps boxes, bags, and trays stable through fast layer building, and as a pick and place gripper it moves between SKUs with zone control instead of downtime.
The SPI is also the natural choice for quick change EOAT strategies. Its low cost per tool makes it practical to dedicate one configured gripper per product family and swap tools in seconds, keeping each recipe running at its optimal cup layout instead of forcing one oversized tool to cover everything.
Spider Gripper Specifications
Preconfigured Spider Grippers share a common platform, with size and sealing options selected to match your product. Key specifications across the standard series:
| Suction inlets | 4 to 8 per tool depending on frame size |
| Vacuum zones | 1 or 2, independently controlled or combined |
| Inlet pitch options | 70 x 190 mm up to 240 x 340 mm center to center |
| Tool weight | 0.39 to 1.10 kg depending on configuration |
| Suction cups | 40, 60, or 80 mm diameter, 1.5 bellow |
| Flow control | 6 mm check valve at each inlet |
| Tool integration | IVTC, MTC, and Custom Tooling interfaces |
| Materials | PA nylon body with stainless steel hardware |
Robotic Gripper Solutions Across Europe
Anubis Robotic Tooling supplies the Spider Gripper to manufacturers and robotics integrators across Europe as part of a complete vacuum gripper program. For European packaging, food and beverage, consumer goods, and logistics operations, the SPI answers a common requirement: a palletizing gripper that is fast, adaptable across SKUs, and affordable enough to deploy per product family. Preconfigured units keep lead times short for time critical automation projects, and our engineering team supports cup selection, zone strategy, and integration with the robots already in your cells.
Related End of Arm Tooling
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Spider Gripper (SPI)?
The Spider Gripper (SPI) is a lightweight, multi-point vacuum gripper that positions individual vacuum inlets on slim spider arms exactly where a product needs support. It is engineered for speed and efficiency in robotic picking and palletizing operations.
When should I choose the Spider Gripper instead of the Area Surface Gripper?
Choose the Spider Gripper when cycle speed, tool weight, and cost per tool matter most, and the product can be held at discrete points. Choose the Area Surface Gripper when the product needs support across its whole surface, such as glass sheets, thin panels, or fragile multipacks.
Can the Spider Gripper pick different product sizes without a tool change?
Yes. A two zone configuration lets the tool activate only the inlets a given product needs, so one SPI can pick two products or two size formats. For wider ranges, the low tool cost makes a quick change strategy with one configured SPI per product family practical.
Is the Spider Gripper suitable for palletizing?
Yes. The SPI is a popular palletizing gripper for boxes, bags, and trays. Its light weight lets the robot accelerate faster during layer building, and the multi-point hold keeps products stable through rapid moves and placements.
What suction cup options are available for the SPI?
The Spider Gripper accepts a range of suction cup types and diameters, selected for the surface and weight of your product. Cup choice is part of the configuration process, and our team validates the layout against your product samples before delivery.
Which robots can run the Spider Gripper?
The SPI mounts on collaborative and industrial robots from all major brands. A Printed Robot Flange matches the tool to your flange pattern, and quick tool change options connect it to the same vacuum supply tooling used across our gripper range.
