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End-of-Arm Tooling (EOAT)
End-of-arm tooling (EOAT) is the device mounted to a robot's wrist flange that performs the work: gripping, welding, dispensing, sanding, or sensing. Also called an end effector, EOAT falls into three types, grippers, process tools, and sensors, and its weight subtracts directly from the robot's usable payload.
Quick Facts
Three types. Grippers grasp the part, process tools change it, sensors measure it.
Terminology. End effector and EOAT mean the same device; EOAT is the plant-floor and integrator term.
Payload math. Robot payload covers part weight plus EOAT weight; a 10 kg robot with a 3 kg gripper picks 7 kg parts.
Gripper actuation. Pneumatic, electric servo, vacuum, and magnetic.
Tool changers. Automatic changers let one robot swap between a gripper and a process tool mid-cycle.
What is the difference between an end effector and end-of-arm tooling?
Nothing functional: the terms describe the same device at the robot wrist. End effector is the generic, textbook term; end-of-arm tooling and EOAT are the manufacturing and integration terms. Component catalogs and robot programming manuals use end effector, while cell drawings and quotes usually say EOAT.
End-of-Arm Tooling Types
| Type | What it does | Common variants |
| Mechanical grippers | Clamp the part with fingers or jaws | 2- and 3-finger pneumatic or electric servo (Schunk, Robotiq) |
| Vacuum grippers | Hold the part by suction | Cup arrays for cases, sheet, and glass; foam grippers for mixed loads |
| Magnetic grippers | Hold ferrous parts | Electro-permanent magnets for sheet metal |
| Needle grippers | Pierce porous material | Foam, textile, and composite handling |
| Soft grippers | Conform to irregular parts | Food and delicate product handling |
| Process tools | Change the part | Weld torches, dispense valves, screwdrivers, sanding and deburring heads |
| Sensors | Measure or inspect | Cameras, force/torque sensors |
| Tool changers | Swap EOAT mid-cycle | Automatic changers with air and electrical pass-through |
What is EOAT used for?
Machine tending. Two- and three-finger grippers loading CNCs, presses, and molders.
Palletizing. Vacuum heads and case clamps at end of line.
Welding. Torch packages with wire feed and cleaning stations.
Dispensing. Adhesive and sealant valves on programmed paths.
Finishing. Sanding, polishing, and deburring heads with force compliance.
Inspection. Wrist-mounted cameras and force/torque sensors.
How do you size end-of-arm tooling for a robot?
Start from the payload budget: the robot's rated payload must cover the part, the EOAT, and anything the part carries, so a 10 kg cobot with a 3 kg gripper handles 7 kg parts. Grip force then has to hold the part under motion, and a part moved at 2 g effectively doubles the force required. Long or offset tooling adds moment load that reduces usable payload further; the robot's wrist moment ratings govern. Power and signals route through the tool flange, configurable 24V or 12V DC and discrete I/O at the J6 flange on the FANUC CRX, and through a pass-through changer when the cell swaps tools.
Get Tooling Engineered for Your Part
HOJ engineers custom end-of-arm tooling around your part as one project with the robot cell, controls, and safety system, integrating FANUC arms since 1964. Talk to an automation engineer today.
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READY TO GET STARTED?
REACH OUT TO US TODAY
Whether it’s a project, product, repair or service, let’s chat to see if we can make your warehouse operations more efficient.