The latest V-Grip range of foam-faced grippers from Simmatic provides a solution to the problem of reliably picking up irregularly shaped and porous objects.
The V-Grip grippers need only a compressed air supply to operate and can be used to pick up even the most delicate of objects with minimal risk of damage.
The grippers feature a strong but lightweight aluminium body frame, which makes them suitable for use on robot arms where the maximum load may be limited. Their gripping surface is faced with EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) foam, which deforms in use to give a strong seal irrespective of the shape of the object being picked up. The foam is also soft, ensuring gentle handling, and durable to guarantee a long working life.
A key benefit of V-Grip grippers is that they have integrated VMECA vacuum cartridges, which means that they require no external vacuum pumps or vacuum pipework. This makes them easy to install and since the vacuum cartridges have no moving parts, almost no maintenance is needed. The grippers also incorporate air filters together with user-adjustable check valves that can be set to give a wide range of air flow settings, so, the lifting force generated by the gripper exactly matches the requirements of the application.
GM-series products in the V-Grip range are 130 mm wide and are available in various lengths from 220 mm to 1,200 mm. Simmatic can also supply larger grippers with similar characteristics and features and for applications that require small grippers, the company offers the Mini Grip range.
