End-of-arm tool for robots and manipulators in the automotive and steel industries

For lifting, grabbing or positioning ferromagnetic products such as sheet steel in the automotive and steel processing industries, among others, Waalre-based Goudsmit Magnetics recently developed an electrically switchable magnetic gripper. This system requires no compressed air and complements the current generation of pneumatically-controlled magnetic grippers. The end-of-arm tool can be attached to robots and manipulators and holds a steel sheet or other product once gripped firmly in place, even during pick and place operations. The energy-efficient magnet system has a bi-stable design, ensuring process safety even in case of power failure, an emergency stop or malfunction. With its plug-and-play design, the safe E-gripper requires little energy and eliminates the need for costly compressed air; something that the current generation of magnetic grippers do need. The gripper is mechatronically constructed and contains no moving parts. It is wear-resistant and has a long service life of more than ten million cycles. The operation can be seen here.

Intelligent end-of-arm tool The electrically switchable magnetic gripper was developed from market demand. Users do not always have compressed air available and want a safe and reliable system for automation processes. The magnetic gripper is equipped with a complete set of sensors, including inductive sensors for detecting product presence, as well as Hall sensors for signalling the on/off position. If the workpiece is lost due to a collision or for any other reason, the PLC receives a real-time notification , so the line controller can react accordingly and the production process does not experience any serious disruption. Moreover, the E-Gripper is equipped with all-round visible LED lighting that indicates the status of the system with colours and light signals. This is particularly convenient for operators.

High productivity and long lifetime The E-Gripper has a fast switching time of 350 m/sec, resulting in fast cycle times. The magnetic gripper holds products such as steel sheet firmly on a relatively small surface area and requires no changeover when changing product dimensions. The magnetic robotic gripper is a mechatronic product with no moving parts, resulting in no wear and tear. The only wear part is the friction ring, which is easily interchangeable and extends the life of the gripper.

Easy commissioning The magnetic gripper has screw holes on the top and is easy to attach to a robotic arm as an end effector. Control is provided by internal electronics with integrated microprocessor and can be connected with only one cable for "Power & Logic". The manual contains clear assembly instructions, making commissioning quick and easy.