Palletizing robots have pivotal functions including transferring, sorting, and stacking in various industries. The end-effector mounting bracket, as an essential part of palletizing robots, undergoes certain loading conditions, and hence, a customizable geometrical design approach might improve its structural performance. This study aims to utilize a statistical-numerical approach for geometrical design of a commercial palletizing robot end-effector. In a preliminary study, a finite element model of the entire robot was initially analyzed under a critical loading condition along a predefined trajectory. The base and side wall thicknesses and the elbow hole diameter were identified as the principal design factors by conducting the stress analysis for the basic model of the end-effector. Additionally, the analysis revealed that the maximum specific stress and deflection of the end-effector were the sensitive objective responses. Subsequently, the response surface methodology with Box-Behnken technique was employed to establish the unknown relationship between the design factors and responses. Analysis of variance showed that the side wall thickness followed by the elbow hole diameter have the greatest impact on both responses. Similarly, comparing the results of finite element simulations showed that variations in both responses are mainly affected by changes in the side wall thickness. Furthermore, the corresponding geometrical factors were determined so that a predefined set of target responses was achieved. Eventually, the appropriate design parameters were attained, minimizing the difference between objective parameters and corresponding targeted values.

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