OnRobot Launches Electric Vacuum Gripper for Heavy Pallet Applications
February 25, 2021
Denmark-based OnRobot has released its new VGP20 gripper, an electric vacuum gripper that can handle payloads up to 20 kg (44.09 lbs), and compatible with all leading robot brands. The new gripper supports applications that range from cosmetics, electronics, to pharmaceuticals and food and beverage, among others.
“Our customers asked for a cost-effective, easy-to-deploy vacuum gripper that can pick up bulky, heavy-duty payloads while being intelligent enough to handle a wide range of items, including those with irregular shapes and porous surfaces,” said Enrico Krog Iversen, CEO of OnRobot. “The VGP20 combines power, intelligence, and ease-of-use that competes with expensive, complex pneumatic grippers.”
The company said end-of-line operations such as palletizing are labor-intensive and costly, citing a report that said labor costs account for 65% of a warehouse facility’s operating budget. In addition, automated palletizing solutions in the food and beverage sector are estimated to reach $390 million by 2022.
OnRobot said the new VGP20 electric vacuum gripper can take on applications that traditionally have been handled by pneumatic grippers but at a fraction of the cost and complexity. While pneumatic grippers require compressed air to operate, the VGP20 is all-electric and ready to go out of the box, OnRobot said. It also provides unlimited cup and airflow customization and multichannel functionality, allowing it to be deployed on multiple items of different shapes and sizes.
The gripper includes built-in intelligence, provides precise airflow control functions, and lets users vary the grip used in different applications, such as a soft grip for delicate items, to a hard grip required for handling bulky, heavy cardboard boxes.
As the cost for cardboard for packaging has risen by nearly 40% over the past 10 years, shippers are now looking for lower-cost options for packaging materials. Thinner, more porous cardboard and lightweight shipping bags present challenges for traditional automated packaging and palletizing, OnRobot said. The VGP20 can easily handle these thinner and less expensive packaging materials to help shippers save on both automation and shipping costs, it added.
“Efficient packaging and palletizing performance is crucial to success for manufacturers, e-commerce and logistics companies,” said Iversen. “The powerful and versatile VGP20 gripper enables companies to automate these tasks, providing relief to workers while improving overall productivity and quality.”
More details on the VGP20 are available here, including a datasheet. Click here to get a quote on the gripper.
