Robots of future will cost less, run safer, improve productivity and adapt their operations on the fly. Contributed by Donna Ritson, President, DDR Communications I recently had the pleasure of collaborating with PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, on a research study exploring the state of the robotics industry, its key markets, recent […]
Grippers
Piab Kenos KCS gripper
Piab’s Kenos KCS gripper enables a collaborative robot (cobot) that can handle just about anything, anywhere, at any time. This makes it a suitable ”co-working” tool, especially for small businesses, where flexibility is essential. Originally developed together with a leading cobot manufacturer as a tailor-made automation tool for one customer, the resulting vacuum gripper cobot […]
Getting a grip with pneumatic grippers
Pneumatic grippers are a common and useful way for machines to handle product and other items, but they must be properly selected to match the payload. Pat Phillips, PE, Product Manager for AutomationDirect, Fluid Power and Mechanical Product Div. Prior to the industrial revolution, grippers used in manufacturing were human hands and simple implements. Automation […]
Piab Kenos KCS gripper
Piab’s Kenos KCS gripper enables a collaborative robot (cobot) that can handle just about anything, anywhere, at any time. This makes it a suitable ”co-working” tool, especially for small businesses, where flexibility is essential. Originally developed together with a leading cobot manufacturer as a tailor-made automation tool for one customer, the resulting vacuum gripper cobot […]
Schunk grippers now will be assembled in USA
Schunk will now be assembling grippers in the United States. The company has completed a 40,000 square foot expansion in Morrisville, N.C. earlier this year, resulting in an additional 19,000 square feet of manufacturing space allowing increased capacity and additional product line assembly. Another 22,000 square feet of additional office and training space completed the expansion. The […]
Best practices for handling bags with suction cups
A bag of sweets dropped on the floor in the plant’s packaging area. Or a bag of frozen peas deformed from its original square shape into a messy plastic package with an ugly cone-shaped suction mark. These are the kind of problems faced by manufacturers wishing to use a vacuum-based automated system to handle bags, […]
Vacuum-based soft gripper for handling sensitive, delicate objects
Piab has introduced a new soft gripping tool piSOFTGRIP, developed especially with food industry automation in mind. The vacuum-based soft gripper will grip sensitive and lightweight objects of odd geometries and/or an unusual surface. Bin-picking of small irregularly shaped objects, such as toys, is another potential application. piSOFTGRIP has three gripping fingers and a vacuum […]
Rethinking manual handling in the digital factory
Digitalization is on the rise in factories, and manual handling is no exception. Increasingly customized products go hand-in-hand with increasingly complex processes, and the way workers deal with goods needs to adapt. Intelligent handling devices play an important role in making this growing complexity manageable, according to the engineers at J. Schmalz GmbH, Glatten, Germany. […]
Bimba launches pneumatic gripper system for high force applications
Bimba has announced the expansion of its angular and parallel gripper portfolio by launching the new Bimba Pneumatic Gripper System (BPGS). The BPGS offers a cam activated, high gripping force solution for handling large and heavy objects in the most demanding environments. Key features of the BPGS include: Gripping forces up to 450 lb at […]
Grippers handle spools with ease
Spools (or reels or coils) of wire, cables, and cords constitute a special category of loads that need to be lifted and handled. The spools are often heavy, plus the cylindrical shape and the need to rotate when in use creates unique requirements. Forklifts are often used for handing, especially for larger spools. Problems involve not […]
