Special purpose grippers supplied to VAW

Citation

(1998), "Special purpose grippers supplied to VAW", Industrial Robot, Vol. 25 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.1998.04925fad.002

Special purpose grippers supplied to VAW

Special purpose grippers supplied to VAW

Keywords Foundries, Grippers

RTS Thurnall plc, the Manchester-based automation specialist, has recently supplied a special purpose double gripper to VAW Motorcast Limited (see Plate 2).

A leading supplier of robotic grippers to the foundry industry, this bespoke unit is used in production for loading delicate sand cores prior to aluminium die-casting on the GM Diesel line.

Mounted on an ABB robot the gripping process involves a group of eight sand cores being loaded into a 450°C die. This is followed by a top core being loaded after the die closes. Several heat and space constraints had to be overcome in the design phase of the project and positional tolerances of the dies necessitated the use of compliance devices. Fine positioning is achieved using gripper guide pins and bushes. To hold the sand cores, parallel action grippers and expanding bladder clamps are employed, sensing is carried out via actuators, part present, air pressure and collision switches.

Providing both standard, off-the-shelf and special purpose grippers, RTS Thurnall designs and builds automation solutions for a wide range of industries and applications worldwide.

Plate 2 Special purpose foundry gripper

For further information please contact Susan Jones, RTS Thurnall plc, Northbank Industrial Park, Irlam, Manchester M44 5AY. Tel: 0161 777 2000; Fax: 0161 777 2002.