Using a combination of Unigripper’s patented vacuum lift technology, mechanical bars and side skirts, the robotic end of arm lifter is able to palletize and depalletize objects of different weights – up to 300kg per layer – as well as objects with different shapes and fragility, the company said.
For boxes, vacuum lifting can be used alone, while irregular shaped items, such as bottles, can be lifted by using side skirts in conjunction with vacuum lifting. When vacuum lifting is not possible, layers can be lifted using mechanical bars. The gripper is also capable of handling multiple layers, with a throughput of up to 350 cycles per hour.
“Each layer can be different, with, say, cardboard boxes on one level and bottles on another. The layers can be completely or partly full, with gaps between products being permissible. The side skirts can be adjusted to baffle for loads of different heights,” the company said.
The grip force is adjustable to allow the handling of more fragile items, and boxes or trays can be lifted with or without shrink wrap, including loose bottles.
The lifter is compatible with two different pallet sizes: Euro pallet, with a maximum gripping size of 1320 x 1040mm and US/CHEP pallet, with a maximum size of 1420 x 1220mm.
The company added that recycled plastic bottle crates are another load example, with the gripper capable of handling products at temperatures of 40°C to 60°C.
The layer gripper is available in the UK exclusively through TIA Robotic Tooling Solutions Ltd.
A picture of the layer gripper can be downloaded here.