Case Study #135: Steel Panels

Problem: There are a wide variety of panel sizes, weights and configurations. Panel variations include flat sheets that could only be picked up with a vacuum end-effector and panels with large round holes that could only be picked up with a gripper end-effector.

Application: Load and unload steel panels onto the paint line. Panels are brought into the work cell horizontal on a pallet or vertical on an A-frame cart. Unpainted panels are gripped, power pitched up 90° and placed on paint line. Once the panels have been through the paint line, they are re-gripped and removed from the paint line and pitched down 90° for placement on a pallet.

Solution: A Simple Air Manipulator® (SAM P-78) mounted on a powered trolley. Operator controls for rotation and pitching are mounted on an air counter balanced T-handle with a motorcycle style throttle metering valve. A pitching end joint with powered rotation of the end-effector. Two end-effectors with quick disconnects: An I.D. Griper and a 7 cup vacuum end-effector.