SMC Releases New Control Valves and Grippers for Various Industrial Uses
What new features do these products include and how might they help engineers in harsh industrial environments?
Recently, automation specialists SMC announced three new product lines: the SGH series of high-pressure coolant valves, ZXP7-X1-KA vacuum grippers, and the ZKJ series of vacuum mainfolds.
Who is SMC?
SMC Corporation of America is a global company that specializes in the industrial sector with a critical focus on automation and control products. SMC Corporation of America specializes in pneumatic technology, including valves, pneumatic control lines, pumps, and actuators. The company has been involved in manufacturing industrial solutions for the past 50 years.
SMC Corporation of America has production facilities in 30 countries and a sales network extending to over 80 countries. The production of control parts has led SMC to focus on developing automated processes that can help improve the performance of many industrial processes.
SGH Series: High-pressure Coolant Valves
Recently, SMC Corporation of America announced multiple products, all designed to help with automating industrial processes. The first of these products is the SGH Series High-p Pressure Coolant Valves intended for applications requiring coolant (e.g., CNC machining of metal).
The new valves have maximum pressure ratings from 3MPa to 14MPa, can be used in both high-speed grinding and long drilling processes, and can be used for coolant liquids used in lubrication, dust removal, and generic cooling.
The new coolant valves. Image used courtesy of SMC Corp
The valve has a service life of at least 3 million cycles which provides a long-lasting in-service valve. The valve reduces the water hammer effect by 20% compared to previous versions of the SGH Series, and the power consumption of the new valve is only 0.35W (at 24V DC).
ZXP7-X1-KA Vacuum Gripper
The ZXP7-X1-KA are vacuum grippers (commonly found in the industry, including in packaging) that can be customized in the total number of gripper heads and the type of gripper head used. The head is designed to be compact and lightweight, while an integrated vacuum ejector helps to release parts currently being sucked to the grippers quickly.
Video used courtesy of SMC Corp
The gripper confirms to ISO 9409-1-31.5-4-M5. It also has a suction flow rate of 17 L/min and a supply pressure range of 0.3MPa to 0.55MPa. The gripper has an operating temperature range of 5°C to 50°C. The gripper works with loads of up to 7KG and operates on voltages between 12V and 24VDC.
ZKJ Series: Vacuum Manifold for Fieldbus Systems
The ZKJ Series of manifolds are essentially pneumatic valves with electronic controls that can be controlled via Fieldbus. The manifold does not need an input/output unit that helps reduce cost, weight, space, and writing time compared to other typical manifolds. The manifold is compatible with multiple bus protocols, including Fieldbus and PROFINET, and works with most industrial PLCs.
The new ZKJ series. Image used courtesy of SMC Corp
The manifolds reduce the air consumption by up to 90%, utilizing a N.O. specification. It can hold vacuums even when power is disconnected (essential for applications where machinery and systems must remain as-is during a power failure). The manifold is also IP65 rated, meaning that it is dust-tight and water-jet-proof, making it easy to clean and survive a wide range of different industrial environments.
