Electric gripping systems Smart universal gripper with boosted gripping force

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Flexible production processes from batch size 1 even in harsh environments — this is where the new smart universal gripper EGU from Schunk shows its strength. It can be freely networked and integrated into highly variable production processes with little effort.

Demands on modern gripping concepts are increasing. They must be easy to integrate, adaptable, and monitorable at all times, and they must also operate reliably under chip and lubricant loads. Automation expert Schunk now provides the universal solution for this: the new, electrically driven parallel gripper EGU. Its sealing concept makes it resistant to dirt and perfect for flexible loading of machine tools or machining centers. In particularly challenging environments, such as when loading grinding machines, protection can be further increased by a dust-tight version.

The flexible gripper can cope with a high part variance. This is possible due to its freely programmable overall stroke of up to 160 mm and its continuously stepless gripping force adjustment of up to 3,000 N depending on the size. The gripping process is secure at all times thanks to integrated gripping force maintenance and workpiece loss detection. In the event of a power failure or emergency stop, at least 80 percent of the gripping force is reliably maintained. The position of the gripper fingers is known at all times by the absolute encoder on the output side so the process can continue after switch-on without re-referencing. A special feature of this newcomer is its Strong Grip mode. For workpieces with different weights, the gripping force can thus be increased up to 150 percent without having to use another gripper.

For improved connectivity, the gripper comes with all standard communication interfaces: Profinet, EtherNet/IP, EtherCAT, IO-Link and Modbus RTU. Software integration is simple using the supplied PLC function modules and plug-ins for leading robot manufacturers and can be implemented quickly without additional gateways or programming effort.

Schunk offers the EGU with and without gripping force maintenance in four sizes: 50, 60, 70, and 80. The maximum gripping force is between 450 N and 3,000 N, depending on size. Suitable gripper fingers can be individually assembled using the new FGR finger configurator, which is freely available on the company’s website.

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