2011-07-21 Vacuum gripper(robotic arm)

According to B.Braun Medical Industrial Sdn. Bhd., there are several machines are using vacuum gripper (robotic arm) that product by Festo  (http://www.festo.com/cms/nl-be_be/index.htm).

Example, BSM (brushing smooth machine) using Festo vacuum gripper to hold blade and release blade from loading and unloading. the size of vacuum gripper is 5mm from robot arm.

today i'm blogging for find FAQ to understand how the vacuum grippers hold blades and release blades from robot arm. I found the website for this Vacuum technology (http://www.festo.com/cms/nl-be_be/9859.htm#id_13023).

1st, about the environment of working area and generator, it's must be clean and free of dust,dirt and oil. the compressor air  and vacuum generator must not lubricated so that when sucking will cause dirt and dust.

The advantages of the vacuum gripper, faster to hold and don't need accurate coordinate such as mechanical gripper. It can hold big surface and thin material with low weight easily, low cost compared to designed mechanical gripper.

it's quite complicated if i don't understand how the vacuum gripper suck the product but finally i found something that can help it to suck, Vacuum generator. (http://xdki.festo.com/xdki/data/doc_ENUS/PDF/US/VADM_ENUS.PDF)

How Vacuum generator works: The compressed air supply of these
vacuum generators is controlled by the built-in solenoid valve. When the electrical power supply is switched on, the valve is actuated and the flow of compressed air from 1 (P) to 3 (R) generates a vacuum at port 2 (V), operating on the ejector principle. Suction stops when the supply power to the valve is switched off. The integrated silencer reduces exhaust noise to a minimum.

 Using PLC language to make the solenoid valve to in-charge the vacuum generator but so far i didn't see before the vacuum generator at bsm, i gonna go check again the machine by asking colleague~