FEATURE Materials Handling
Smart product handling in the woodworking sector
T
he diversity of products manufactured from wood, combined with the variety of different materials and surface finishes at the various processing stages, requires gripping and handling technology capable of meeting the myriad of material handling challenges experienced in the sector. For example, when handling porous or permeable workpieces such as MDF or particle board, workpieces can sometimes stick together during de-stacking operations. To overcome this issue, Schmalz large- area gripper modules use an integrated separating function which ensures that vacuum between the boards is eliminated by restricting the flow of compressed air, thus ensuring only one workpiece is picked up and held at any time. Finished products such as furniture place particular demands on vacuum technology to ensure there is no marking or damage to the workpiece during handling. Suction cups manufactured from specially-developed materials and soft sealing foam are just two of the solutions available from Schmalz on its gripping systems which make it possible to handle workpieces without damaging them or leaving marks. This allows the items to be coated in a later process, free from imperfections, even after coming into contact with the gripper.
Not all products manufactured in the woodworking sector are
large, and in certain cases multiple individual items can be nested on a pallet layer. Using a nesting gripper such as the SPZ-NG from Schmalz makes it possible to de-stack these pallet layers in just one handling cycle; different vacuum circuits split the gripper into individual segments. Individual vacuum circuits can be switched on or off as needed, in order to avoid picking up certain workpieces during gripping. Because rough wooden boards, cut pieces, workpieces, assemblies and furniture bodies come in a wide variety of shapes and weights and with different physical properties, Schmalz offers two series of vacuum lifters: Jumbo vacuum tube lifters and VacuMaster vacuum lifting devices. A large selection of different suction cups is available for both series, with specially-adapted crane systems and jib cranes supplementing the vacuum lifters. Furthermore, vacuum technology from Schmalz can be used as gripper systems on portals and robots. These gripping solutions can be configured and designed individually with a broad range of separate vacuum components, or, alternatively, purchased as a ready- to-connect gripper system for a specific application. Schmalz has developed a comprehensive range of suction cups for handling wood, that more than meet the requirements of the industry. Their shape has been optimised to allow sealing on the rough, often porous surfaces of workpieces. Ready-to-connect area gripping systems and suction spiders can be adapted to any individual requirement within the woodworking industry.
CONTACT:
Schmalz UK Limited
www.schmalz.com
34 February 2023 | Automation
Schmalz VacuMaster Comfort shown here has a lifting capacity of 750 kg
Schmalz’s integrated separating function ensures that only one workpiece will be picked up at any time
Different vacuum circuits make it possible to split the gripper into individual segments
automationmagazine.co.uk
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