Engine and gearbox shafts handled easily
In the automotive industry, engine and gearbox shafts, shock absorber rods, cylinder or exhaust tubes for example come in a variety of diameters. To manoeuvre these parts, m ajor European automotive components manufacturers use Lantec-designed and built automation systems equipped with the company’s pneumatic grippers and clamps.
Thanks to their unique construction Lantec angular grippers help to minimise tool changes and increase production efficiency. Originally developed to provide specific and efficient handling solutions for customised automatic production machinery, Lantec grippers are now off-the-shelf items and available to all machine and robot systems engineers who value clever design, high quality and reasonable cost.
The advantage of gripper types PAC, PAE and PAN is their common turning axis for both fingers. This enables to manipulate a band of diameters (for exmaple 35 to 45mm) with the same gripper fingers and only a very slight deviation from the centre line. Result: higher flexibility, fewer production stops (if any) to change grippers, fingers or make other adjustments.
Available in five sizes with a torque range from 3.6 to 66Nm, type PAC is useful in space constricted areas as the wide opening jaws provide clearance without the need to retract the unit. The super power gripper PAE has an average opening angle of 30º, a closing torque range from 24 to 350Nm with a massive closed retention force of 77 Nm for the largest of the four sizes, well capable of handling heavy drive shafts or similar.
The PAN is the smaller and light weight unit with respectable torques of 17.5 and 34Nm respectively. Solid engineering, compact design and robust build quality give Lantec grippers a long and reliable service life able to operate in harsh, high pressure production facilities in all areas of manufacturing industries. The working temperature ranges between -30 to +80ºC.
For ease of maintenance, the grippers are actuated with standard compact cylinders including magnetic pistons for position sensing ranging in bore sizes from 25 to 80 mm depending on type. The cylinders can be rotated along their piston rod axis to place the air connections at the most convenient location. The gripper bodies are machined in aluminium and the steel mechanism is moving in hard-wearing guides providing great physical strength, wear and shock resistance. Special gripper requirements including hydraulic versions can also be catered for on request.
FS Engineering (Automation Systems) is the sole UK distributor for Lantec grippers. Visit the FS Engineering website for more information.
