For applications where more precise
information relating to the position of the
gripper jaws is required, Zimmer Group
offers a digital I/O version together with
analogue sensing. An analogue sensor,
which outputs a voltage of between 0 and
10 volts, depending on the jaw position,
is integrated into the gripper as standard.
This voltage can be evaluated using an
analogue card in a higher-level control
system, making it possible to determine
the position of the gripper jaws with an
accuracy of less than 0.05 mm.
ROBUST MECHANICAL DESIGN
DELIVERS LONGEVITY IN SERVICE
Zimmer Group’s GEP2000 series
electrically powered grippers feature
an industry leading mechanical
configuration. The hard anodised
aluminium housing is at the heart of
the grippers’ robust construction and
reliability, and the field proven flat guide
design will allow the gripper to perform
10 million part handling or assembly
cycles without requiring maintenance.
Electrically
operated grippers
from Zimmer’s
GEP2000 range
offer a number of
distinct advantages
Zimmer Group E- Grippers Deliver Benefits
For Automated Assembly Applications
R
ecognised as experts in automation
and handling technology, Zimmer
Group now offer a series of highly
functional and easy to control electrically
driven grippers. Designed primarily for
assembly tasks and for handling small
parts, these latest generation products
deliver a number of distinct advantages
for automated assembly operations.
Electrically operated grippers from
Zimmer’s GEP2000 series offer a number
of advantages for small parts handling
including: adjustable gripping forces
of between 80 N and 400 N and jaw
strokes of between 10mm and 16mm.
Another important feature of this range of
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grippers is their mechanical self-locking
mechanism, which prevents the loss of the
workpiece in the event of a power failure.
All grippers within the range feature
an integrated control system and are
available in three control versions: With
IO-Link, digital I/O and digital I/O plus an
analogue output to set or interrogate the
jaw positions.
With the IO-Link version, the gripper
offers all the system-specific advantages
of that interface, which includes not only
simple handling and operation, but also
easy integration. By connecting a single
cable, the gripper can receive data from
and transmit data to the master controller.
Parameters such as gripping force and
gripping speed are set centrally. The
gripper uses IODD (IO Device Description)
to send signals to the higher-level control
system.
The resultant benefits include
considerable time savings during initial
setup or when replacing the gripper. IO-
Link also sets new horizons for advanced
diagnostic functions and predictive
maintenance, which in turn enhance
machine availability. No additional
hardware, in the form of other controllers
is required thanks to this highly
sophisticated control system.
Four stage
gripper force
adjustment
is set using
a simple
potentiometer
The IO-Link master is all that is needed
to act as a link between the gripper and
the fieldbus, and no additional software
needs to be installed on any PLC being
used.
Zimmer Group also provides its own
Human Machine Interface (HMI) for easy
operation. This tool, which has a special
gripper-adjustment user interface, is able
to store parameters for up to 32 different
workpieces.
In the I/O version, the grippers operate
as simply as a conventional pneumatic
valve. The gripper opens when it receives
a control signal, and the jaws are closed
when it receives another one. In this cost-
effective version, a four-pole cable that
supplies the gripper with both electrical
energy and control data is all that is
required. A commercially available central
distributor can be used to control several
grippers at the same time. Should gripper
position information be required, this can
be achieved using magnetic field sensors,
which can be accommodated in the two
grooves incorporated within the gripper.
The gripper is able to use these sensors
to send a signal as soon as a set query
position is reached in just the same way
as a traditional pneumatic gripper.
Zimmer Group has developed a simple
solution for adjusting the maximum
gripping force, which can be set directly
on the gripper using a potentiometer
with four separate positions. This is not
only quick and easy, but also offers the
advantage of the setting being easily
visible, even if the power has failed or if
the gripper has been removed.
All versions in the range offer a
mechanical emergency release, which is
an important safety feature. Should there
be a need for the gripper to be opened
manually, in exceptional circumstances,
the screw on the self-locking gearbox
can be turned using a separate screw
which is easily accessible externally. As
a result, the gripper can still be opened,
even in the event of a power failure when
for example, a workpiece needs to be
removed.
All grippers are sealed to IP40 standard,
and their high accuracy allows for rapid
replacement minimising any interruption
of production. The grippers in the
GEP2000 series are powered by 24 VDC,
and the gripper jaws are able to operate
with a current draw of less than 500 mA.
The current draw only increases to 2 A,
a current that all conventional IO-Link
masters can supply, for a few milliseconds
at the moment of start-up, when the
mechanical self-locking mechanism is
released, and the motor is being brought
up to speed.
www.zimmer-group.de/en
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