Design World

  • Home
  • Articles
    • 3D CAD
    • Electronics • electrical
    • Fastening & Joining
    • Factory automation
    • Linear Motion
    • Motion Control
    • Test & Measurement
    • Sensors
  • 3D CAD Models
    • PARTsolutions
    • TraceParts
  • Leadership
    • 2020 Winners
    • 2019 Winners
    • LEAP Awards
  • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • DIGITAL ISSUES
      • EE World Digital Issues
    • Future of Design Engineering
    • LEAP Awards
    • MC² Motion Control Classroom
    • Motion Design Guide Library
    • Podcasts
    • Suppliers
    • Webinars
  • Women in Engineering
  • Ebooks / Tech Tips
  • Videos
  • COVID-19

Custom gripper system for removing hot parts

By Mike Santora | November 4, 2016

Share

When ZEIBINA Kunststoff-Technik GmbH sought to upgrade its manual demolding process for automotive lighting reflectors, it went to FIPA to correct the problem. Previously, to ensure part removal free of marks or paint-wetting impairment substances (PWIS), employees had to handle hot (120°C) plastic parts themselves. FIPA’s new custom gripper automated this process and also reduced cycle times to 33 seconds, considerably increasing factory throughput.

fp045-custom-plastics-gripper-system-pr

The custom gripper system is made of components from FIPA’s modular construction kit. The kit includes sprue grippers combining high closing force for secure gripping with a soft, heat-resistant HBNR elastomer coating, finger grippers to prevent laterally slipping, and sensor-enabled grippers that monitor the handling sequence.

The engineers at FIPA’s primary manufacturing facility designed the custom gripper system to include components from the company’s modular construction kit. This kit includes: sprue grippers combining high closing force for secure gripping with a soft, heat-resistant HBNR elastomer coating, finger grippers that prevent laterally slipping, and sensor-enabled grippers that monitor the handling sequence.

“After the lighting reflector blanks are removed from the injection molding machine, they’re transported to another system that coats the plastic parts with vaporized aluminum and other metals to ensure high surface stability. But for this process to be a success, the parts must be pristine, which proved too challenging for off-the-shelf solutions,” said Dirk Zeibig, managing director at ZEIBINA.

“Due to the shape of ZEIBINA’s injection-molded parts and the force required to remove them from the mold, it was clear that a standard vacuum cup solution would not suffice. So, after a close and open exchange with the ZEIBINA team, our engineers used several components from our modular gripper kit to customize an automated handling system to their lighting reflector manufacturing process,” said Rainer Mehrer, President of FIPA. FIPA components used to assemble the custom gripper system for ZEIBINA’s injection-molded reflector process include:

GR04.103 sprue grippers which feature a high-strength, anodized aluminum body and actuator jaws with both gap-free closing capabilities for small sprues and a 10mm clamping diameter to accommodate larger parts;

GR04.103-4 interchangeable sprue gripper jaws coated with extremely soft hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR), which enable the mark-free gripping of delicate components.

GR04.101A single-acting sprue grippers with direct part detection and large area sensor activation capabilities, regardless of sprue position.

GR04.045 35° angle stroke gripper fingers with single-action, spring return design.

LT10 compact reflective sensors, which enable the long-range optical monitoring of workpieces, can accommodate any mounting position and feature a small footprint, adjustable sensitivity, an LED display, and lightweight body; and a variety of clamping elements, extrusions, and profiles.

FIPA
www.fipa.com

 

Pneumatic Tips

MOTION DESIGN GUIDES

“motion

“motion

“motion

“motion

“motion

“motion

Enews Sign Up

Motion Control Classroom

Design World Digital Edition

cover

Browse the most current issue of Design World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading design engineering magazine today.

EDABoard the Forum for Electronics

Top global problem solving EE forum covering Microcontrollers, DSP, Networking, Analog and Digital Design, RF, Power Electronics, PCB Routing and much more

EDABoard: Forum for electronics

Sponsored Content

  • Drilling rig OEM benefits from a PLC with edge computing technology: IIoT case study
  • The industry shift to smart electromechanical actuators
  • Commemorating a great entrepreneurial personality – Oskar Lapp at 100 – A pioneer for the future
  • SE motor – uncompromised motion performance
  • With virtual commissioning, commissioning time and prototype waste is reduced
  • Master Bond Supreme 10HT High strength, NASA low outgassing approved epoxy
Engineering Exchange

The Engineering Exchange is a global educational networking community for engineers.

Connect, share, and learn today »

Tweets by @DesignWorld
Design World
  • Advertising
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Manage your Design World Subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Design World Digital Network
  • Engineering White Papers
  • LEAP AWARDS

Copyright © 2021 WTWH Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media. Site Map | Privacy Policy | RSS

Search Design World

  • Home
  • Articles
    • 3D CAD
    • Electronics • electrical
    • Fastening & Joining
    • Factory automation
    • Linear Motion
    • Motion Control
    • Test & Measurement
    • Sensors
  • 3D CAD Models
    • PARTsolutions
    • TraceParts
  • Leadership
    • 2020 Winners
    • 2019 Winners
    • LEAP Awards
  • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • DIGITAL ISSUES
      • EE World Digital Issues
    • Future of Design Engineering
    • LEAP Awards
    • MC² Motion Control Classroom
    • Motion Design Guide Library
    • Podcasts
    • Suppliers
    • Webinars
  • Women in Engineering
  • Ebooks / Tech Tips
  • Videos
  • COVID-19