EMI Motion-on-EOAT Case Study

This custom End of Arm Tooling is packed with new and industry-standard components, complemented by custom laser-cut plate, extruded aluminum profile and 3D printed nests for a hybrid approach to a customer Injection Molding Application, implementing various functions and motions within one custom piece of equipment.

The first function of this EOAT is to remove the finished part from the mold with Hithane vacuum cups mounted on Gimatic threaded suspensions. In this scenario, the mold has 2 cavities which are plumbed in tandem, but can also be configured individually for added control of part release and detection.

Attaching the vacuum cups to the laser-cut plate and using durable threaded suspensions reduces EOAT weight while providing added accuracy. This laser-cut plate is attached to a Size 90 Gimatic Quick Changer with an offset plate and stand-off rods that are designed and machined to ensure the EOAT fits within the customer-specified mold opening.

Equipped with Gimatic Expansion grippers and a 3D printed alignment nest, the other half of this EOAT will pick the inserts from an external fixture using a small vacuum cup for insert detection instead of a photo eye or fiber optic sensor.

The inserts are picked from the front of the EOAT with the Gimatic ZL Slides in their extended position.

The ZL Slides are directly mounted to individual Gimatic R32, 2-position rotary actuators which move the inserts 180°, to the back of the EOAT and the inserts are ready to be placed into the mold.

Once the EOAT is inside the mold and ready to present the inserts to the opposite (stationary) side, the ZL slides will extend 100mm to reach beyond the width of the End of Arm, including the robot arm. Once the inserts are placed into the mold, the EOAT can move on to release the finished parts and to pick up a new set of inserts for the next shot.

Such design can only be achieved using a hybrid approach that includes a combination of stock EOAT components, custom fabricated laser-cut plate and 3D printed alignment nests. The implementation of a Gimatic QC90 Quick Changer enables 2 vacuum circuits, and 4 compressed air circuits to be connected swiftly upon tool installation using a single lever.

EMI EOAT Engineers worked closely with the end user of this End of Arm Tooling during the design process and continue to support the equipment as their production needs evolve.

Watch this EOAT in Action!

Contact EMI for more information about EOAT Design Assistance and how we can help with simple or complex EOAT custom applications based on years of expertise and the largest in-stock product offering for the Plastic Injection Industry.

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