- During the outage period, the air line may be aging, the joints may be loose, the suction cups may be hardened, and the joints may be stuck.Cannot load workpiece directly。
- To resume the machine, pressAppearance → System → Security → No load → Low load → Official recoveryExecuted sequentially.
- The inspection focus is different depending on the deactivation time:Check the compressed-air supply/dust in 1 week, check the aging/lubrication in 1 month, and follow the complete process after 3 months.。
- Safety functions (emergency stop, loss-of-air protection, and fall prevention) must be tested before reactivationActual measurement is valid; Arrange operator retraining before official resumption.
During production-rate changes, line retrofits, order changeovers, or standby periods, Pneumatic Industrial Manipulators, pneumatic assist devices, and vacuum-gripping tooling may remain idle for some time. Pre-restart inspection is an essential step for confirming safe handling, stable gripping, and reliable release. Because custom handling equipment varies in tooling configuration, workpiece weight, center-of-gravity location, and site conditions, verify every restart item individually.
01Why can't I load workpieces directly after deactivation?
The first principle of machine resumption inspection is to confirm the status of the equipment before carrying out load operations. If the decommissioned equipment directly grips or clamps the workpiece, common risks include: the sealing performance of the vacuum suction cup decreases, the vacuum gripping time becomes longer or the vacuum holding force is insufficient; the compressed-air supply pressure is unstable and the pneumatic tubing leaks, causing abnormal lifting, clamping, and release movements; mechanical joints, cantilevers, pins and other parts are stuck due to dust accumulation or insufficient lubrication; the failure of safety functions makes it impossible to brake in time or prevent the workpiece from falling.
Many on-site accidents are not caused by a sudden "major failure" of the equipment, but by the superposition of small problems to create risks. For example, a quick-plug joint is slightly leaking, a suction cup edge is hardened, and a limit block is loose. This may not be obvious when it is empty. Once a heavy workpiece is lifted, it may cause the workpiece to slide, swing, be released uncleanly, or be positioned deviated. Therefore, activation after deactivation should be performed in the order of "appearance inspection - system inspection - safety confirmation - no-load test run - low load test run - official resumption".
02Appearance inspection: First check whether there are any obvious abnormalities in the equipment
Before resuming the machine, an overall appearance inspection should be carried out: whether there is a large amount of dust, oil stains, and water stains on the surface of the equipment; whether the metal structural parts are rusted; whether there are deformations, collision marks, or abnormal scratches on the columns, cantilevers, and fixture frames. If a forklift, material truck or other equipment passes through the workshop during parking, the column, base, joint housing and tooling end may be impacted.
The appearance inspection should also pay attention to whether the electric control box, pneumatic control box, valve group, protective cover and identification plate are intact. When obvious deformation, cracks or abnormal collision marks are found, it is not recommended to directly test run. The structural strength and installation status should be confirmed first.
03Mechanical structure inspection: Confirm that support, rotation and limit are reliable
Column-type Pneumatic Industrial Manipulators should focus on checking whether the columns, bases, and anchor bolts are firm, whether the ground around the base is cracked, and whether expansion bolts or chemical anchors are loose; rail-type or suspended structures should also check the track connections, hanging points, pulleys, end limits, and anti-falling devices.
Joints, cantilevers and rotating parts should be confirmed to rotate smoothly without jamming, abnormal noise, obvious gaps or abnormal shaking; limit blocks, mechanical stops and buffers should be complete and effective. For equipment that has been out of service for a long time, the pins, sleeves, and bearings may be dry or slightly rusted. Before resumption, they should be cleaned and lubricated as required, and there should be no interference within the range of motion.
04compressed-air supply system inspection: focus on checking pressure, water accumulation and air leakage
First, confirm whether the on-site compressed air pressure meets the equipment requirements, whether the setting value of the filter pressure reducing valve is correct, and whether the pressure gauge display is stable; secondly, check whether there is water, oil or impurities in the filter cup, and drain, clean or replace the filter element if necessary.
The air line is a high-risk point during resumption of inspection. During outage, the air line may become hardened, cracked, or worn due to long-term bending, pressure, proximity to heat sources, or environmental aging. During inspection, you should check section by section along the pipeline, focusing on bends, drag chains, joints, movable parts of clamps, and locations prone to friction. If the air line is found to be aging, leaking, bulging, flattened, or has surface cracks, it should be replaced in time. It is not recommended to temporarily wrap it with tape and then continue to use it. Quick-plug joints and threaded joints should be checked for looseness and air leakage. This can be determined by listening to the sound of air leakage, observing the pressure drop, and detecting leaks with soapy water.
05Vacuum system inspection: confirm vacuum gripping, pressure holding and release capabilities
For vacuum gripping fixtures, you should not just check whether the suction cup is "still there" before resuming the machine, but also check the vacuum-gripping performance. When the vacuum suction cup is restored, you should focus on checking whether the edge of the suction cup is hardened, cracked, curled, or deformed, and whether there is oil, dust, or indentations on the surface. The vacuum generator, vacuum gauge, filter and vacuum pipeline should be checked simultaneously: the vacuum gauge reading should be stable, and the vacuum establishment time should not be significantly longer; filter blockage will reduce the vacuum gripping speed.
It is also important to check the pressure holding capacity, which can maintain the system status after adsorbing the simulated workpiece and observe whether the vacuum degree drops too fast. If the equipment has out-of-air protection, anti-fall protection or insufficient vacuum alarm functions, their effectiveness should be confirmed under low-risk conditions. When the vacuum system is abnormal, it is prohibited to directly transport formal workpieces, especially workpieces with rough surfaces, heavy weight, offset center of gravity or high value.
06Clamp inspection: Confirm smooth clamping, positioning and release
Clamp-type clamps should check whether the jaws are opening and closing synchronously, whether the clamping stroke is in place, and whether the jaw pads, polyurethane pads, and rubber pads are worn, hardened, degummed, or embedded with iron filings - worn pads not only cause unstable clamping, but may also scratch the surface of the workpiece. Pins, springs, sleeves, connecting rods, guides and limit blocks should be checked for looseness, rust, breakage or wear.
The release mechanism must be especially inspected to ensure that the clamp can release the workpiece normally without jamming, dragging, or half-release. For combined fixtures with cylinder, vacuum, and mechanical interlocking, the clamping, pressure maintaining, releasing, and resetting actions should be confirmed one by one to avoid checking only a single action.
07Safety function check: must be confirmed to be valid before resuming the machine
The safety features of handling equipment cannot wait until an abnormality occurs to verify it. Before resuming the machine, you should check whether the emergency stop button is effective, whether the brake or braking mechanism is reliable, and whether the air loss protection, anti-drop device, vacuum insufficient alarm, and limit device can work normally. For Pneumatic Industrial Manipulator with balance control, it should also be confirmed that the equipment will not sink abnormally, rotate out of control, or suddenly release when stopped, cut off air, or under low pressure.
Safety officers and maintenance personnel should jointly confirm that the operating area has been cleaned, that there are no obstacles within the equipment's operating range, that the ground is not slippery, and that the workpiece placement meets the requirements for the transportation path. Formal production operations should not be scheduled before the safety function check is completed.
08No-load trial operation and low-load trial operation
The restart inspection cannot start directly from full load. It is recommended to conduct a no-load test run first, and test the lifting, rotation, translation, stop, reset, clamp opening and closing and release actions in sequence, and observe whether the equipment has abnormal noise, jitter, jamming, slow movement, air pressure fluctuations or abnormal rebound. The no-load test run should cover the common working range of the equipment.
After the no-load condition is normal, perform a low-load test run. Low-risk workpieces, simulated loads, or lighter weight test pieces can be selected to gradually verify the entire process of vacuum gripping, clamping, handling, positioning, and release. During low load testing, you should focus on observing whether the workpiece slides and shakes, whether the vacuum degree is stable, whether the clamp is released smoothly, and whether the operating feel becomes significantly heavier. After confirming that there are no abnormalities, formal load operations can be gradually resumed.
09The deactivation time is different and the inspection focus is different.
- Disable for about 1 week: Focus on the on-site compressed-air supply pressure, water accumulation in the filter, dust on the surface of the fixture, contamination on the surface of the suction cup and the status of the operating buttons. The no-load trial run should still be completed.
- Discontinue use for about 1 month: Added inspections for pneumatic tubing aging, joint leakage, vacuum suction cup hardening, joint lubrication, and loose limit blocks. In dusty, oily or humid environments, focus on checking the filters, seals and metal parts for corrosion.
- Discontinued for more than 3 months: Follow a relatively complete resumption process. In addition to routine inspections, you should also check the tightening status of the anchor bolts, cantilever joint clearance, cylinder sealing, vacuum generator performance, repeated positioning of the fixture and anti-drop function. If the equipment has been moved, modified or the working conditions have changed after being out of service for a long time, the workpiece weight, handling path and fixture suitability should be re-evaluated.
10Checklist for restarting after deactivation
| Check category | Inspection Details | normal state | Corrective Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance inspection | Dust, rust, deformation, collision marks | The surface is clean and the structure has no deformation or cracks. | Clean and remove dust; stop and confirm when deformed or cracked |
| Installation base | Columns, bases, anchor bolts, track connections | Reliable fastening, no looseness, no ground cracking | Re-tighten or reinforce and review the installation foundation |
| mechanical joint | Joint, cantilever, rotation, translation mechanism | Smooth movement, no stagnation, abnormal noise, or obvious gaps | Clean and lubricate, check pins, sleeves, and bearings |
| Air supply system | Air pressure, filter pressure reducing valve, water accumulation, air line | The pressure is stable, the filter is clean, and the air hose is not damaged | Clean drainage, adjust pressure, and replace aging pneumatic tubing |
| Vacuum system | Suction cup, vacuum generator, vacuum gauge, filter | The vacuum is established quickly, the reading is stable, and the pressure is maintained normally. | Clean filter, replace suction cup or inspect generator |
| Clamp mechanism | Gripper jaws, pads, springs, pins, and seals | Clamped in place, reset normally, pads intact | Replace worn parts, deal with sticking and leaks |
| release mechanism | Release button, valve group, clamp release action | Smooth release, no jamming or dragging | Check the valve block, pneumatic line, spring and mechanical interference |
| Safety Function | Emergency stop, brake, loss-of-air protection, anti-fall, alarm | Effective function and reliable action | Stop the recovery and re-verify after troubleshooting. |
| No-load test run | Lift, rotate, translate, stop, reset | Smooth action, no abnormal noise and jitter | After identifying the cause, perform a load test |
| Low load test run | Simulated load or low-risk workpiece testing | Stable vacuum gripping, reliable clamping, and normal release | Suspend formal production and recheck the system |
11Operator retraining before official resumption
After equipment has been out of use for a period of time, operators may become unfamiliar with the rhythm of movements, button functions, gripper release sequences, and safety precautions. Before official resumption, brief retraining should be arranged, including equipment rated load, allowed handling range, vacuum gripping or clamping confirmation method, emergency stop position, abnormal handling procedures and prohibited operations.
For new employees, rotating employees, or those who have not operated the equipment for a long time, on-site demonstrations and confirmations should be conducted instead of just verbal notifications. Workshop supervisors and safety officers should require operators to re-familiarize themselves with the feel of the equipment during low load testing, and then resume normal production cycle time after confirming that everything is correct.