Heavy loads are a thing of the past

As soon as the thickness increases, the weight of sheet metal and profiles quickly goes crescendo. Many metalworkers have therefore already invested in Dalmec's pneumatic manipulators to ensure greater ergonomics, safety and productivity on the shop floor. Because unlike with robots, you get an affordable solution in exchange, which also retains a lot of flexibility. No more hassle with forklifts, even the heaviest weights can be lifted and handled safely with the little finger, and that for all kinds of metalworking disciplines. Thierry Reverse, manager of supplier Arcadel, is pleased to present some interesting realizations.

At VMT in Wilrijk, Arcadel developed a custom pneumatic manipulator for the bending bench. Even if it was only for one specific order. "A few times a year, the company prepares an order consisting of a base from a plate 4 to 5 mm thick. In total, it is only a limited number of pieces on an annual basis. Not a project you would invest in economically, but for the manager, the safety of his employees was a priority. He held his breath every time the cut-to-size sheet was brought to the bending bench. It required two forklifts and a lot of dexterity on the part of the operators to then place the correct folds. But this was not without risk." 

Perfectly synchronized with the bending bench

A robot would involve too high a cost and not allow enough flexibility. But this tricky job was right up Dalmec's pneumatic manipulator's alley. Arcadel designed a solution that picks up the sheet, can tilt it 180° and then, in perfect synchronicity with the bending machine, places the correct fold. Reverse: "As soon as the operator steps on the pedal, the bending machine takes over and can apply all the pleats needed. As soon as the pedal is released, the Dalmec manipulator takes over again and ensures that even weights of up to 250 kg can be clamped reliably and operated flexibly. There is full control over the plate at all times. And if it is not quite perfectly horizontal, a pneumatic cylinder on the side provides a correction, so that the bending bench can always get to work with a nice flat sheet."

Heaviest weights lifted easily

For JB Construct (Lier), Arcadel recently delivered two new machines for smooth and efficient handling of metal profiles. "The two new Dalmecs come at the end of the line, to deposit the finished profiles in a container. Some are also already on duty at the front: to pick up the profiles with vacuum and bring them to the sawing machine. In addition, once the profiles have been cut to size, they are also used to prepare them for further processing. So the least you can say is that the technology has proven itself here." A whole host of tasks, then, which the pneumatic manipulators reliably discharge with the help of suction cups that provide clamping. "An arrangement that we have prepared in our showroom," says Reverse. "There, customers and prospective customers can always go to see the technology at work and experience for themselves how efficiently work can still be done."

Wide range of pieces always processed safely

Pneumatic manipulators are also making a difference for Team Industries of Roeselare. "They were already tasting weightless handling with a device that worked up to 100 kg. They now notice a trend toward increasingly heavy pieces and wanted to prepare their paint line accordingly." The new manipulator can therefore handle up to 250 kg. And that in the most flexible way possible. "Depending on where the openings are in the pieces, the operators can position the suction cups flexibly. We worked with two separate circuits for this purpose, in which the suction cups are activated in a V-shape, so that a very wide range of products can pass the review (from 700 x 500 mm to 2,700 x 1,200 mm). The operator can choose whether to activate them both for a capacity of up to 250 kg, or whether three suction cups and 125 kg will suffice. And if he needs some extra support for lateral movement on the heavy pieces, he can do so at the push of a button. Thanks to this pneumatic control, everything happens in complete safety and ergonomics. And that's the most important thing," Reverse concludes. And the device they already had? Good for the dustbin? Not at all. They will find a useful use for it elsewhere in production. ■