Troubleshooter: Parts Handling -
When Do-It-Yourself Robot Tooling Is Not the Way to Go
By Timothy
Thatcher, SAS Automation LLC
February, 2008
Assuming that modular
components can always fill the bill can be a costly
mistake when it comes to more complex applications. So
it is important to know when your molding application
needs the special benefits that are available with a
custom-engineered tool.
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Robotic End-of-Arm
Tooling Trends in key markets
By:
John Westbeld
February 2008As the growth of robotic
sales has increased in the non-automotive markets so has
the need for End-of-Arm Tooling (EOAT) or end effector
to handle a wide variety of product and work pieces.
Since a robot is only as good as it’s EOAT in any market
or application, the requirements that the eoat secure
and manipulate the product without damaging it is
critical to the success of the cell.
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Specify
End-of-Arm Tooling for Packaging &
Palletizing Automation Cells |
Assembly
Magazine
March 2008 |
Robotic automation cells designed to
package and palletize finished goods
are becoming more complex. From
de-molding plastic covers and placing
them in a carton to reducing the size
of an 18 part array, or pallet and
slip sheet handling – the EOAT plays
an important role in both the handling
and manipulation of heavy and bulky
items, carrying out secondary
operations prior to packaging (such as
degating), or assembly.
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Building Robotic End of Arm
Tooling - Advanced & Custom Considerations
By John Westbeld
Assembly Magazine
July 12, 2007
End-of-Arm
Tooling (EOAT) or end effectors can range
from a simple vacuum cup tool to a tool
with multiple actuators and custom
details. The complexity of the tooling
depends upon the workpiece / part
(referred to as part from here on)
characteristics, the environment,
fixturing interface, and part
manipulation. Applications range from a
simple pick & place application to a
multiple part assembly cell with multiple
EOAT. Ultimately your robot's performance
depends on the reliability of the EOAT.
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MORE |
Custom End-of-Arm
Tooling Considerations For Packaging And
Palletizing
A wide variety of EOAT components are
available
Manufacturing
& Technology
June 2007
A wide variety of standard modular EOAT components
available on the market today make assembling your own
EOAT very reasonable and cost justified. You can save
thousands of dollars by buying components and building
your own EOAT for the simpler applications. So how do
you decide on whether to build your own EOAT or have a
custom EOAT designed and built for you? The answer to
this question is not always cut and dry and depends
upon resources and skill level available.
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MORE |
Key Factors for Building a Robotic
End-of-Arm-Tool
Manufacturing
& Technology
February 2007
When
it comes to being cost effective, the
proper combination of capital
investment, labor content and the
speed of operation will provide the
best result. Although most times the
EOAT is a relatively small investment
compared to the other components of a
work cell, the proper design and
construction can make a big
difference. Thus, it is the ease,
consistency and flexibility, versus
people, that provides the motivation
behind the EOAT to move and assemble
parts.
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MORE
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| Knowing
When to Choose Custom End-of-Arm
Tooling |
Robotics
World
Magazine
Dec 2006 |
Robotic
cells for material handling,
packaging, and automation
applications all have one thing
in common: the robot is only as
good as its end-of-arm tooling
(EOAT). Robotic EOAT can range
from a simple vacuum cup tool to
sophisticated assemblies with
multiple actuators.
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| Custom
vs. modular EOAT for injection
molding |
Plastics
Machinery & Auxiliaries
June 2006 |
Most
end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) can be
constructed of standard modular
components. The demands of some
applications, however; go beyond
the scope of modular elements,
and require true custom
construction. How can you tell
when it's time for custom EOAT?
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MORE |
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| EOAT
for In-Mold Labeling:
Feasibility for Low Cavitation |
MyPlastics
Recruiter.com
2005 |
Low
cavitation IML applications are
where the cost justification is
tougher and are prevalent in the
automotive, home appliance, and
toy industries. Making low
cavitation applications
attractive to the IML process
depends upon the automations
ability to produce good parts in
a cost effective manner.
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MORE |
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| Flexible
End-of-arm Tooling Aids Molding
Process |
Plastics
Machinery & Auxiliaries
Magazine
2004 |
Given
that a robot is only as good as
its ability to pick, place,
move, handle, hold, and
manipulate a part, there are
clear reasons for moving the end
effector to a higher priority.
EOAT is a relatively inexpensive
part of the entire work cell,
but it is an integral part of
the molding operation and could
be a costly operational expense
if not set up correctly.
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MORE |
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| End-of-Arm
Tooling Works Together with
Robots to Improve Process
Flexibility |
Robotics
Online Magazine -
October 2002 |
Too
many times major investments are
made in robotic automation
without the proper design and
adaptability of an end effector.
This is precisely where end
effectors, now more commonly
named End-of-Arm Tools (EOAT),
can improve both flexibility and
cost effectiveness..
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MORE |
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| How-To
Guide to Robotic Gripping |
MetalForming
Magazine
August 2002 |
Here's
what you need to know when
installing end-of-arm tooling on
your pressroom robots. How will
you do it with less funds and
resources, due to the economy?
Your solution must be cost and
time effective yet simple and
dependable.
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MORE |
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| Modular
End-of-Arm Tooling for Your
Robot |
Technologia
del Plastico Magazine -
July/August 2002 |
The
success of any robotics
pick-and-place application
depends on how consistently its
end-of-arm tooling (EOAT)
secures, manipulates, and
releases the parts and runner
system. To build an EOAT that
suits your application and
assure its success you need a
flexible system of modular
components.
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MORE |
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| Vacuum
System Overview - Vacuum Cups |
Robotics
World Magazine - March 2002 |
Vacuum
cups often are the best solution
for workpiece handling in
robotic or automation
applications. Typical
applications include removing
injection-molded plastics from
molds, sheet metal transfer,
palletizing of workpieces,
nesting fixtures and assembly
fixtures.
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MORE |
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| Driving
JIT with New Technology
Implementation |
Injection
Molding Magazine - October 2001 |
Wouldn’t
it be great if you could buy all
of the high-tech equipment your
heart desired? Imagine all the
problems that could be solved.
Your molding operation would
practically run itself, right?
Of course, to be successful
molders must plan and implement
that new technology in an
intelligent way, taking human
factors and specific
applications into account.
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MORE |
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| End-of-Arm
Tooling Adds Flexibility in
Robotic Assembly |
Robotics
World Magazine - Sept. 2001 |
When
Fredick Taylor theorized that by
controlling the size, shape, and
application of the end effector
(shovel) at the end of a human
arm, production,
cost-effectiveness and profits
would improve. Manufacturing is
continuing to ask the same
questions. The arm and tool may
have changed but the questions
have not.
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MORE |
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| The
Evolution of End-of-Arm Tooling |
Robotics
World Magazine - June 2001 |
In
the early 1990s, the robot
revolution really arrived in the
United States. And, while
cost-effectiveness and reducing
manufacturing costs were
considered key automation
objectives, the biggest
challenge that led to the
evolution of robotic end-of-arm
tooling was that flexible
automation also had to guarantee
product quality.
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MORE |
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| Basic
Considerations in Automating
Degating Methods |
Plastics
Auxiliaries Magazine - April
2001 |
Although
hot runner molding continues to
increase in popularity, for many
injection molded parts, cold
runner molding is still the
process of choice. With cold
runner molding, of course, the
challenge is to remove the
runner from the molded part
economically.
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MORE |
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| E-Stands
for Ergonomics in this EOAT |
Injection
Molding Magazine - August 2000 |
Read
about the installation of a
highly automated manufacturing
cell with a robot transferring
subassemblies from station to
station, while simultaneously
handling reusable machined-metal
core inserts, used to both
facilitate robot handling and
ensure overmolding position
accuracy.
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MORE |
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| Automating
the Insert Molding Process. |
Plastics
Auxiliaries Magazine - Nov. 1998 |
Insert
molding is a process by which an
object, or insert, is placed
into the mold between cycles and
the plastic is formed around the
insert. Insert molding is not
new to the industry, but it is a
process that can be overlooked
as a viable and innovative
solution to molding problems.
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MORE |
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| Specifying
and Designing EOAT for Robots |
Plastics
Auxiliaries Magazine - Sept.
1998 |
Here's
a quick rundown of questions you
should ask, and things you
should be sure to check out in
specifying end-of-arm tooling
for your robotic applications.
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MORE |
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| Modular
robotic end-of-arm tooling wins
new acceptance |
Modern
Plastics Magazine - April 1998 |
Modular
approaches to robotic end-of-arm
tooling (EOAT) are fast becoming
widely accepted in North
America, following the lead
taken by European molders.
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MORE |
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| Get
a Grip on the Basics of Robot
End-of-Arm Tooling |
Plastics
Technology Magazine - Sept. 1997 |
While
molders will often spend hours
deciding on a robot purchase,
many give little thought to the
EOAT that will go on it. What
they end up with is inflexible
tooling systems that weigh too
much and take up too much space.
Even worse, they often end up
with EOAT that simply doesn't
work. There's no such thing as
"do-all" robot
tooling.
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MORE |
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