The Festo HPSX gripper is available in totally different finger configurations and is accessible full or as parts. Supply: Festo
Delicate or compliant grippers permit robots to control a variety of objects. Festo Corp. this week launched the HPSX gripper, which it described as a “hygienic tender gripper engineered to deal with delicate, irregularly formed, and hygienically delicate merchandise.”
“The design of this pneumatic gripper is a big development over conventional, inflexible gripping options and addresses long-standing challenges in automating duties within the meals, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries, the place product harm is a priority,” mentioned the Esslingen, Germany-based firm.
The Festo HPSX is superior to suction grippers as a result of it might deal with objects of various measurement, form, and orientation, mentioned Michael Guelker, product supervisor for pneumatic actuators at Festo. Suction grippers want flat surfaces to be picked up, he informed The Robotic Report.
“HPSX can be simpler to scrub,” Guelker mentioned. “Think about attempting to scrub suction cups, the air strains, and so forth., when dealing with uncooked rooster breasts with direct vacuum grippers.”
“HPSX can be tender/versatile in order that it doesn’t harm or mark the objects,” he added. “Suction grippers usually tend to depart marks on the article.”
Festo designs HPSX for delicate, quick selecting
The Festo HPSX has fingers produced from tender silicone-based materials, making them appropriate for transferring gadgets which are simply broken. The corporate mentioned it fastidiously selected the fabric’s consistency to be tender sufficient to forestall harm however agency sufficient to know objects and transfer with adequate acceleration.
The Festo HPSX provides an ISO50-standard robotic interface. Supply: Festo
Festo mentioned its analysis and growth crew targeted on refining the gripper’s form, dimensions, and inside geometry to maximise gripping power and decrease air quantity for quicker selecting. The HPSX can stand up to acceleration as much as 15 Gs whereas holding as much as 1.1 lb. (0.5 kg).
The HPSX is accessible in three sizes — 1.6, 2.8, and 4 in. (40, 70, and 100 mm) — and in two-, three-, and four-finger designs.
9 totally different types widen its utility vary, famous Festo. HPSX incorporates a common ISO50 becoming for robotic end-of-arm tooling (EOAT).
The brand new gripper doesn’t include haptic sensing customary, however stress sensors do point out when the gripper fingers are open or closed, mentioned Guelker. It could be attainable by request, he famous.
As well as, the HPSX can carry out a number of picks per second, in line with the corporate, whose U.S. headquarters are in Islandia, N.Y.
Rugged fingers prepared for industrial use
Festo mentioned its “common adaptive gripper” is corrosion-resistant and incorporates a sanitary design that makes it simple to scrub and preserve. The supplies used are meals-grade and metal-detectable.
The Festo HPSX, which is designed for affordability, can deal with meat and eggs, mentioned Guelker.
“Dealing with uncooked protein is without doubt one of the goal functions, and now we have labored with some pilot clients testing the HPSX efficiency with dealing with uncooked rooster and beef, for instance,” he mentioned. “The HPSX can deal with any meals product instantly, because of the FDA-conforming, food-safe supplies and the IP69k high-pressure wash-down functionality to take care of cleanliness.”
Prospects can substitute the blue silicone membrane fingers once they put on out themselves with none instruments, Guelker added. “Our testing confirmed a median lifetime of 5 million cycles, the place a cycle consists of selecting up an object and inserting it down,” he mentioned.
Guelker did acknowledge some variables that may have an effect on the tender grippers’ endurance:
- Very excessive or low temperature; the usual vary is 0°C to +60°C (32°F to 140°F)
- Floor roughness or abrasiveness of the objects dealt with
- Acceleration — tremendous quick speeds generate greater forces on the gripper, which may then put on out quicker
HPSX gripper is appropriate for a number of markets
Festo mentioned the HPSX’s capacity to deal with all kinds of sizes and styles with out a device change is vital for functions comparable to kitting within the cosmetics business, the place a single gripper may have to choose up a number of totally different merchandise.
“Kitchen automation is one other goal utility, utilizing robots and automation merchandise to automate sure capabilities inside a restaurant or meals preparation space,” mentioned Guelker. “For instance, now we have carried out testing with clients for issues like assembling/dealing with hamburgers, and assembling egg sandwiches, automated meeting of ‘build-your-own’ pizza kiosks, amongst others.”
He added that the gripper might be utilized in agriculture, the place Festo and clients have examined it for functions comparable to harvesting mushrooms and selecting strawberries.
The HPSX gripper can be utilized in agriculture and meals preparation. Supply: Festo
Festo provides a single level of contact, help
The HPSX works with Festo’s different parts, comparable to controllers, valves, and pneumatic techniques. The corporate asserted that this may cut back the effort and time required for set up and programming, as the unique gear producer (OEM) doesn’t have to fret about compatibility amongst merchandise from totally different distributors.
Festo added {that a} single level of contact for all automation simplifies troubleshooting, upkeep, and help, serving to OEMs, integrators and finish customers to cut back downtime and streamline their operations.
The ISO50 common becoming makes HPSX accessible to a large market, as Festo goals to compete with different gripper producers by providing a versatile answer that may be simply connected to present robotic arms.
“The usual HPSX can fulfill a majority of functions with the usual out-of-the-box product, and for distinctive functions, we will develop a custom-made model shortly and cost-effectively,” mentioned Guelker.
