Vacuum Area Gripping System for loading and deloading of a Press

A wood processing company automated their manual loading process by investing in a robot. The area gripping system FMC from Schmalz is used as the gripper on the robot arm.

The vacuum area gripping system FMC is extremely flexible and can grip workpieces which are narrow, rough and rigid. The gripper system is designed for handling entire layers, regardless of how much of the gripper area is covered. An optimized foam grid serves as the sealing element between the gripper and the workpiece. This sealing foam compensates for uneven areas or knot holes which could cause leaks. The integrated valves open and close individual vacuum points based on how the gripper is covered. The area gripping system thus guarantees extremely high holding forces and saves energy by up to 50%.

An integrated filter mat protects the large-area gripper from dirt. The gripper can lift loads of up to 700 kg.