TRUMPF has introduced a new vacuum multigripper fitted to the TRUMPF BendMaster robotic arm.
Up to 12 grippers can be positioned in this way. Using these grippers, the BendMaster can remove a workpiece from the stack, move it efficiently within the bending cell, and then place it on the stack of finished parts.
The new multigripper can be set up more quickly than conventional vacuum grippers. Instead of a conventional gripper that must be modified for each new workpiece, all necessary adjustments for the new multigripper can be made at the system level, reducing the time needed to set up the bending cell.
“Small-batch production runs and a shortage of skilled labor are two of the problems facing those who work with sheet metal,” explains TRUMPF head of smart factory applications and automated bending Franziska Maschowski. “The TRUMPF multigripper makes it economic to use automated bending processes, even for smaller batch sizes. Any company – even those already well equipped with automation – can increase their efficiency with the multigripper.”
The gripper is available in two sizes: small (S) for the transport of workpieces up to 13 lbs. in weight, and medium (M) for workpieces up to 114 lbs. These two variations can cover a wide range of parts. The gripper is used with the TruBend Cell 5000.
The new multigripper also offers efficient and versatile handling of workpieces within the bending cell. The S-size gripper, for example, features a swivel joint that rotates through 180 degrees. This means that the multigripper can turn over workpieces without having to put them down – something which conventional gripper systems are unable to do. This reduces cycle times.
The multigripper is ideal for companies that have a TRUMPF bending cell and are looking to boost their productivity. Job shops, in particular, will profit from this solution, since they have to undertake frequent gripper modifications in order to bend new workpieces.
