Manipulators are used to manipulating material, products, or semi-finished products without the use of human labor or to reduce the use of human labor in automation. Manipulators can be 1- or multi-axis (movement of material in larger planes or directions). The axes can perform linear movements or movements in the form of a circular arc (twist or rotation) or, if such a demand, along a certain curve. Modern industrial robots are the most complex form of manipulators, but in certain cases, even these do not meet the need for specific manipulation and therefore the need for a purpose-built manipulator arises.

The most common applications are

• Loading/unloading products or material
• Machine service – taking products from the machine or putting them into the machine
• Lifting/lowering products to perform a specific operation
• Product stacking
• Transferring products (e.g. from one conveyor to another)
• Elimination of products (the control unit determines the product as unacceptable, and the manipulator removes it from the process)