What is a gripper? Well, just think about its name! Grippers are a device that allow robot arms to grab, hold on to, and move items, and are a key component when it comes to automatic assembly. Without them, parts couldn’t automatically be loaded in/out of machines, which is something that ultimately saves businesses a lot of money and time. For companies that process a high volume of items every day, an automatic machine is ideal; by the end of the year, an automatic machine will cost said company half of what it would’ve taken to hire an operator. These machines are essential for some businesses, but without grippers, they wouldn’t be able to function.
Grippers have a pretty simple function, but their structures and abilities can vary. Here at James Engineering, we manufacture and sell three main times of grippers: your standard gripper, a failsafe gripper, and a parallel gripper.
standard gripper
The standard gripper is one we’re all familiar with, as its arms open and close as air pressure is turned on and off. These grippers are sturdy workhorses, but if there’s any malfunction with the air pressure, their arms will release whatever item it’s holding. This could potentially cost businesses a lot in damages, both for parts and the overall machine the gripper is inside.
failsafe gripper
James Engineering came up with the failsafe gripper as a way to combat heavy reliance on air pressure. Initially, operators will notice the failsafe gripper is powered by an air cylinder, but these grippers are actually made failsafe by internal coil springs. These springs keep the arms of the gripper closed, even if air pressure were to fail. This ensures that neither part or machine will sustain any damage due to drops.
parallel gripper
James Engineering also manufactures a parallel gripper featuring technology unique to us. These grippers don’t swing open and closed like the aforementioned grippers, but instead slide on parallel axes. That means these grippers are perfect for picking up long, thin, or abnormally shaped items with ease. Your typical parallel gripper will have exposed tracks, making them very hard to keep dirt-free. This contamination will ultimately wear down the gripper and create play in its arms. Play will make the arms bend, making them unable to keep hold of the items they need to grab. The difference in the James Engineering grippers is that they utilize a technology known as linear motion slides. These slides are not limited to grippers, but are a game changer when it comes to parallel gripper function. These slides allow the arms to roll on bearings, which squish dirt out of the tracks and prevent unnecessary wear. The bearings will also prevent play, so the lifetime of the James Engineering parallel grippers will outlast those of other competing grippers..
James Engineering believes in inventing the unorthodox, providing buyers with the most precise and efficient technology on the market. Not only are we deburring and chamfering machine manufacturers, we also manufacture items like grippers, as well as an array of other products. If interested in purchasing a gripper, or looking into what other products we offer, check out our PRODUCTS page.
But for now, get a grip and switch to a James Engineering gripper—we won’t let you slip!