The Festo HPSX gripper is available in totally different finger configurations and is on the market full or as elements. Supply: Festo
Gentle 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 injury is a priority,” mentioned the Esslingen, Germany-based firm.
The Festo HPSX is superior to suction grippers as a result of it could possibly 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 instructed The Robotic Report.
“HPSX can be simpler to scrub,” Guelker mentioned. “Think about making an attempt to scrub suction cups, the air strains, and many others., when dealing with uncooked rooster breasts with direct vacuum grippers.”
“HPSX can be tender/versatile in order that it doesn’t injury or mark the objects,” he added. “Suction grippers usually tend to depart marks on the article.”
Festo designs HPSX for delicate, quick choosing
The Festo HPSX has fingers produced from tender silicone-based materials, making them appropriate for shifting objects which might be simply broken. The corporate mentioned it rigorously selected the fabric’s consistency to be tender sufficient to stop injury however agency sufficient to know objects and transfer with adequate acceleration.
The Festo HPSX affords an ISO50-standard robotic interface. Supply: Festo
Festo mentioned its analysis and improvement workforce centered on refining the gripper’s form, dimensions, and inside geometry to maximise gripping power and reduce air quantity for sooner choosing. The HPSX can face up to acceleration as much as 15 Gs whereas holding as much as 1.1 lb. (0.5 kg).
The HPSX is on the market 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 varieties widen its utility vary, famous Festo. HPSX encompasses a common ISO50 becoming for robotic end-of-arm tooling (EOAT).
The brand new gripper doesn’t include haptic sensing commonplace, however strain sensors do point out when the gripper fingers are open or closed, mentioned Guelker. It could be potential by request, he famous.
As well as, the HPSX can carry out a number of picks per second, based on 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 encompasses a sanitary design that makes it straightforward 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 we now 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, as a result of FDA-conforming, food-safe supplies and the IP69k high-pressure wash-down functionality to keep up cleanliness.”
Clients can exchange the blue silicone membrane fingers after they put on out themselves with none instruments, Guelker added. “Our testing confirmed a mean lifetime of 5 million cycles, the place a cycle consists of choosing up an object and putting 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 increased forces on the gripper, which may then put on out sooner
HPSX gripper is appropriate for a number of markets
Festo mentioned the HPSX’s skill to deal with all kinds of sizes and styles and not using a software change is necessary for functions similar to kitting within the cosmetics trade, 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, we now 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 similar to harvesting mushrooms and choosing strawberries.
The HPSX gripper can be utilized in agriculture and meals preparation. Supply: Festo
Festo affords a single level of contact, assist
The HPSX works with Festo’s different elements, similar to controllers, valves, and pneumatic programs. The corporate asserted that this may cut back the effort and time required for set up and programming, as the unique tools 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 assist, 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 resolution 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 are able to develop a custom-made model shortly and cost-effectively,” mentioned Guelker.
