Page 11 - Plastic Process Equipment, Inc

BUILDING AN EOAT PROJECT

An automation system should incorporate high efficiency,
process reliability, and cost savings.
TUBE PROFILES - MOUNTING CLAMPS -
Tube profiles are an excellent choice when Mounting Clamps are used with tube profiles and/or
adjustablility and light weighty is needed. Nippers, gripper mounting arms on one end, and cups,
grippers, vacuum cups etc. are often mounted on adapters, holders, suspensions, sprue grippers, and/
tube profiles because of the ease of adjustment and or nipper brackets on the other end, making the
extended angle adjustments they can provide. EOAT adjustable and better able to hold the part.
They are more versatile than others and have
EXTRUSION PROFILES - changeable direction.
Extrusion profiles are grooved along their entire
length. Nippers, grippers, vacuum cups etc. are SUSPENSIONS -
attached to the profile using brackets and nuts and Suspensions have tube profiles, gripper mounting
bolts which slide into the grooves. arms, and/or mounting clamps on one end, and an
adapter cup on the other end, making it more
MIX AND MATCH WITH EXTRUSION AND TUBE adjustable and strong. They are available in both
PROFILES - rotating and non-rotating versions.
When you have rigidity and adjustability concerns,
then you have to adopt extrusion profiles as the base GRIPPER MOUNTING ARMS -
framework and tube profiles connecting components Gripper mounting arms have either tube profiles or
for maximum positioning adjustability. Extrusion clamps on one end, and sprue grippers, cups with
profiles and brackets allow for easy linear adapters or holders, suspensions, or nipper brackets
adjustments. Round elbow angle adjusters provide on the other end. They are available in both rotating
a wide range of angle adjustments as well as and non-rotating varieties.
rotational adjustability.
NIPPERS -
VACUUM CUPS - Nippers (or sprue cutters) are most often used to
Vacuum cups are the most popular and economical cut (or degate) sprues and/or runners from parts.
method for the EOAT to grip and properly position Styles include both single and double-acting models
items. Most robots come standard with a vacuum as well as sliding models. Nippers can be mounted
detection circuit that monitors for a minimum vacuum either on the EOAT or at a separate degating station.
level. If a vacuum cup has missed or dropped a part, By using the appropriate mounting bracket, nippers
the vacuum detection circuit senses low vacuum and can be mounted onto either round or slotted profiles.
prevents the robot or machine from starting a new Some round-bodied nippers have mounting threads
cycle until corrected. Therefore, additional part on their bottom and other nipper bodies have
verification is not normally needed. This eliminates mounting threads on square slide surfaces which
the need for separate parts sensors which can add can provide a low-cost alternative to mounting
both cost and weight to the EOAT. Vacuum cups are clamps.
available in a wide range of styles, sizes and
materials to suit a wide range of application needs. SLIDING NIPPERS -
This style nipper allows the blade to cut flush against
SPRUE GRIPPERS - the part. After the blade is positioned between the
Sprue grippers are commonly used to grip sprues runner and part, compressed air is applied to activate
but they are often used to grip parts as well. While the pull-sliding stroke. This moves the blade flush
grippers usually work like fingers that come together against the part. Compressed air is then applied to
to grasp something, they can also be placed inside the blade resulting in the cutting action. Spring action
of a part and spread apart to apply pressure from returns the sliding body to its normal position.
within. Grippers attach to the EOAT using special Compressed air is supplied to two parts, allowing
gripper brackets. Some use compressed air to both for independent control over the sliding stroke and
open and close the fingers (double acting). Others cutting operations.
combine the use of compressed air with a spring to
open or close (single action).

PLASTIC PROCESS EQUIPMENT, INC. www.ppe.com
e-mail: sales@ppe.com
E 8303 CORPORATE PARK DRIVE W 6385 MONTESSOURI STREET
A MACEDONIA, OHIO 44056-2300 E LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 89113-1186 Toll Free: USA, Canada & Mexico
S 216-367-7000 • FAX: 216-367-7022 S 702-433-6385 • FAX: 702-433-6388 800-362-0706
T TOLL FREE: 800-321-0562 T TOLL FREE: 800-258-8877 Order Fax: 800-223-8305
11