Project Overview
Disc-, flange- or housing-type metal workpieces often have smooth profiles and limited gripping points; internal pick-and-place also requires clearance from the equipment opening and surrounding structures.
On-site footage shows a Pneumatic Industrial Manipulator using a custom gripper to pick a circular workpiece, withdraw it from the equipment, reorient it, and place it again. The exact workpiece type, process, and applicable parameters must be confirmed against project documentation.
On-Site Footage
Reorientation While Maintaining the Grip
The custom gripper first secures the workpiece inside the equipment, then lifts, withdraws, turns and places it again, reducing manual regripping and secondary lifting.
Workpiece type, actual weight, turning angle, and cycle time must be confirmed against project documentation.
Key Parameters / Solution Details
| Workpiece | Disc-, flange-, or housing-type metal workpiece; exact type and process must be confirmed against project documentation |
|---|---|
| Actual Workpiece Weight | Subject to project drawings, weighing records, or information confirmed by both parties |
| Equipment Configuration | Pneumatic Industrial Manipulator; mounting configuration is determined by site space, required coverage, and foundation conditions |
| Tooling Type | Custom gripping-and-turning end-effector; gripping points and actuation method are determined by workpiece geometry, center of gravity, and surface requirements |
| Required Motion | Aligning, clamping, lifting, withdrawing, translating, reorienting and placing |
| Turning Angle and Positioning Requirements | Determined by the initial and target orientations, equipment opening, interference clearances, and process-positioning requirements |
| Suitable Applications | Machine loading and unloading, assembly assistance and inter-process reorientation |
| Case Basis | On-site footage; no estimated weight, angle or cycle-time data used |
Application Challenge
- Circular metal workpieces offer limited gripping points, making a stable orientation difficult to maintain during manual lifting and turning.
- With the pick-and-place point inside the equipment, the opening, work surface and adjacent mechanisms constrain gripper size and motion path.
- The workpiece must be reoriented after withdrawal; manual regripping or a second lift increases drop, pinch and collision risks.
- Placement or reinstallation must account for workpiece orientation, equipment interference and alignment requirements.
AUREK Solutions
- Design dedicated tooling around confirmed load-bearing areas and gripping references so the workpiece remains constrained during lifting and reorientation.
- The industrial manipulator carries most of the load while the operator guides the end-effector to pick, withdraw and place the workpiece.
- A turning mechanism is integrated into the end-effector so the workpiece remains gripped throughout reorientation; the achievable angle is determined by the initial and target orientations and site interference clearances.
- Design a compact end-effector around the equipment opening, internal depth, surface height and surrounding obstacles, and verify its motion envelope for interference.
Operating Sequence
- Guide the end-effector into the equipment opening and approach the workpiece.
- Align the gripper with the specified gripping reference, engage it and verify secure gripping.
- Lift the workpiece clear of its original support and withdraw it from the equipment along the planned path.
- Maintain the grip while reorienting the workpiece and moving it to the placement position.
- Complete alignment and placement, verify that the workpiece is securely supported, then release and withdraw the gripper.
Removal and reinstallation may follow the reverse sequence as required by the process; exact motions, turning angle, and final position are determined by the applicable project process.
Solution Value
- Combines gripping, withdrawal, turning and placement in one continuous process, reducing manual regripping and secondary lifting.
- Reduces the load borne directly by the operator and the need to support the workpiece at the equipment opening.
- Reorienting the workpiece while it remains constrained helps reduce instability and collision risks.
- Custom tooling can be designed around the gripping references of different circular workpieces, providing an engineering basis for multiple sizes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Disc, Flange and Housing-Type Workpieces Use the Same Gripper?
Compare the geometry, center of gravity, available gripping areas and surface requirements of each size. Adjustable or quick-change tooling may be assessed, but common use cannot be promised without complete data.
Through What Angle Can This System Turn the Workpiece?
The achievable turning angle depends on the initial and target orientations, equipment opening, and interference clearances and must be determined from site conditions.
How Is the Workpiece Prevented from Slipping During Gripping?
The safety solution must be established through gripping-force verification, contact design, state monitoring, and assessment of loss-of-air or power-loss conditions. The exact safety configuration is governed by project technical documents and on-site acceptance records.
How Can We Determine Whether the Gripper Fits into the Existing Equipment?
Provide the equipment-opening dimensions, internal depth, pick-and-place heights, locations of adjacent mechanisms and a workpiece model for motion-path and interference-envelope verification.