A special vacuum gripper, the VGS 3010 from Piab, features Duraflex suction cups and Coax ejector technology for handling products ranging from corrugated boxes to sheet metal and small assembly parts.
Aidco International, Adrian, Mich., manufactures conventional palletizing equipment and is a Kuka robot-system partner integrator that designs and makes mechanical and vacuum end-of-arm tools (EOAT) for gripping and moving every size and shape of product packaging. To address demands for flexibility and productivity in its RoboticStar bulk-container depalletizing and palletizing system, the company incorporated an EOAT that uses vacuum technology for lifting and moving with a single tool.
The special vacuum gripper, called the VGS 3010, is from Piab and features Duraflex suction cups and Coax ejector technology for handling a range of products from corrugated boxes to sheet metal and small assembly parts. In conjunction with the VGS' stabilizer, the 50 to 60 suction cups attached to a robot's head make for safe and stable lifting. Coax integrates the internal components of a multistage vacuum pump into a vacuum cartridge, resulting in a small, efficient, reliable, and flexible package for modular systems.
According to Salh Khan, president of Aidco, ejectors like the Coax system are easy to control. The pump starts producing the vacuum immediately when the pressure valve is turned on, and the flow stops when the compressed air is shut off.
"The VGS 3010 gripper meets all our needs, and changing conditions and package configurations are no problem because the gripper position easily changes," comments Khan. "With its modular construction, the system eliminates the use of multiple EOAT to handle material that changes size or position."
Another plus for Aidco and its customers is the weight and small size of Piab's air-driven pumps. They are easy to install and maintain because their parts are accessible and interchangeable.
Piab
Hingham, Mass.
piab.com
