Have you already calculated what it could save you to run your machining machines an extra shift at night or on weekends? Because automation is an interesting and affordable option for every SME in metalworking today. Even if only small series are planned. An evolution that is also partly due to the ever-growing flexibility of grippers. With its EGU and EGK grippers, SCHUNK is once again setting the standard in this regard. During a road show, they were happy to present them in detail. The first stop on the tour was Germond in Izegem. Metaalvak was there.
That we were guests of Germond should come as no surprise. The family business has been pitching itself as a supplier for machining machines and tooling since 1989. "With the technical knowledge we have in house, we also try to make a difference in terms of turnkey projects. We then develop a complete machine concept around the 3D drawing of the piece the customer wants to make, including automation and service afterwards. Because we also bet hard on that." For this, the company can count on machines from DN Solutions (formerly Doosan), Ibarmia, Correa and Brother. An offer that covers the bulk of applications in the market.
One by one top machines that obviously deserve nothing less than top-notch gripping technology. That's why we were here. Oliver Herbrik, team lead components at SCHUNK's Gripping Systems Business Unit, explained why the new EGU and EGK deserve this label. "They are part of a broader platform that also includes the EGP and ELG grippers. Electric grippers that each start from the same electronics and software base, but are finished to form the right choice for every task and application."
For machine loading, the functionalities of the EGU grippers especially stand out. "First and foremost because this is a fully enclosed, robust design, which means the gripper continues to function reliably even in the most difficult conditions," Herbrik says. And that must also be true in metalworking, where the presence of heat, coolant and chips cannot be ruled out. The gripping process is always safe thanks to integrated gripping force maintenance and workpiece loss detection. The position of the gripper fingers is always known due to the presence of an integrated absolute encoder. Thus, the process can be resumed after switching on without entering new reference points.
In addition, the EGU stands out for its versatility and flexibility. Herbrik: "With its freely programmable total stroke of up to 160 mm and the stepless gripping force adjustment of up to 3,000 N, this gripper can handle a wide range of pieces. Also important to point out is the 'StrongGrip' mode: it increases the gripping force to 150% for workpieces of different weights, without the need for another gripper." This sum of features makes the EGU the perfect all-rounder for machine loading.
But then it was mainly time for practice. Visitors to the roadshow were able to see EGU at work in detail for themselves in a demo application.
"We believe that with these introductions we are helping our customers take a new step in electrification and digitization. Their flexibility perfectly matches the needs of metalworkers today, who increasingly need to switch between series. The versatility of the EGU, and by extension EGK gripper, provides efficiency gains. We are particularly proud that we have already been able to show this to many integrators and end users with our road show," concludes a satisfied Werner De Ridder, general manager at SCHUNK Belgium.
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