Robotiq Adds PowerPick Multi to Vacuum Gripper Offerings

In automated assembly, vacuum grippers are a common choice for picking up nonporous materials, such as glass, plastic, and metal. They provide a secure way of lifting parts and materials without marking or capturing the part. In a typical application, designers are required to design robot end effectors that incorporate vacuum grippers with either vacuum pumps or generators. Robotiq has taken the guesswork out of end-effector design with their EPick and PowerPick line of vacuum grippers.

The PowerPick 10, 20, and 30 enable gripper customization in palletizing, pick-and-place, and machine-tending applications. Image used courtesy of Robotiq

PowerPick Vacuum Grippers

More significant and oddly shaped parts require different suction tools. Robotiq’s PowerPick vacuum grippers are available in different configurations to suit application needs and come with a vacuum generator that can be attached to the base of your robot. The PowerPick can be ordered as a single cup, a quad cup with three different sizes (10, 20, and 30), and as the PowerPick Multi, Robotiq’s newest gripper, which has 24 vacuum cups.

All of the PowerPick grippers are designed for plug-and-play into many popular collaborative robots, reducing programming and training time. The maximum payload for the PowerPick 10 is 13 kg, while the PowerPick 20 can lift 18.2 kg, and the PowerPick 30 can lift 27.2 kg. The PowerPick 10 has a vacuum flow of 180 l/m, while both the PowerPick 20 and PowerPick 30 consume 376 l/m. The PowerPick SingleCup has a max payload of 6.5 kg and a vacuum flow of 180 l/min. All of the PowerPick grippers require a compressed air source.

Robotiq’s newest gripper, the PowerPick multi, features 24 vacuum grippers and a max payload of 30 kg. Image used courtesy of Robotiq

The PowerPick Multi

If your palletizing application handles a variety of different shapes and sized objects, you might want to have a look at Robotiq’s latest gripper, the PowerPick Multi. Twenty-four vacuum grippers are arranged in an array that can be operated in recipe-driven zones, which allows the picking of larger or smaller objects without a changeover. The PowerPick Multi uses the URCap, which interfaces with the cobot’s force sensors, enabling quicker picks and reducing damage to delicate parts. The PowerPick Multi uses up to 392 l/m of vacuum, has a grip cycle time of 0.14 seconds, and a payload capacity of 30 kg.

The EPick single-cup gripper doesn’t require a pneumatic source. Image used courtesy of Robotiq

EPick Vacuum Grippers

In addition to its PowerPick grippers, Robotiq also offers the EPick series grippers, which are different from standard vacuum grippers as they don’t require a pneumatic source. Each gripper in the EPick lineup has a small built-in electric vacuum generator that produces a pneumatic vacuum. One might think that the electric vacuum pump will be loud, but Robotiq states the generator only produces 64 dB of noise while running.

The EPick can be ordered as a single-cup, dual-cup, or quad-cup design. Each cup has a rated payload of up to 4.5 kg, and when combined with four cups, the end effector can support a payload of up to 16 kg. The weight of a single cup is 0.71 kg, and the gripper runs on 24 VDC and draws 2 A. The EPick gripper can be mounted on Omron, Techman Robot, and Universal Robots cobots.

Robotiq’s PowerPick Multi vacuum gripper is designed for palletizing and pick-and-place applications. Image used courtesy of Robotiq

The Power of Suction

Vacuum grippers are an excellent choice due to their nonmoving parts, ease of use, and speed of gripping cycle time. As great as they are, vacuum grippers do have some caveats, one being if your parts are not alike, you might be changing your tooling between part runs. Robotiq’s PowerPick and EPick vacuum grippers are, however, designed to suit a range of application needs, helping reduce the need for changeovers and boost productivity.