Grippers, Robotics, IoT, Digital Manufacturing, 3D Printing, Pretotyping, Kinematics, Transportation, Simulations Research topic: Grasping devices and methods play a central role in automated production. They perform tasks such as assembling, handling, separating, positioning and packaging of parts, components and final products in almost every industry. Recent needs are pushing automation towards multifunctional grippers capable to achieve a variety of operations. Within this PhD project different methods and principles will be employed to develop grippers with increased flexibility and shape adaptability, including the application of compliant mechanisms. The research approach further focuses on practical applicability and acceptability investigated through the methods of pretotyping. As gripper designs not only depend on object properties but also rely on previous and consecutive process phases, the research tends to industrial integrated robotic solutions with respect to IoT and Digital Manufacturing. Up-to-date real case problems will be continuously investigated in strong collaboration with industry partners. The cooperative work of operators and collaborating robots (cobots) will be especially emphasised.