New Solutions for New Challenges

May 24, 2022

Automation without risk – this is what beginners and experts in automation both want. At automatica, a major trade fair for intelligent automation and robotics, application expert SCHUNK will be showing new ways as well as clever digital services that enable customers to master their tasks and design production processes flexibly and efficiently.

Automation and robotics are developing rapidly. Industrial and service robotics are achieving high growth rates – with an upward trend. This is because new fields of application, ease of implementation and operation, and the need for reliable and individualized processes are pushing development forward. With plenty of drive and innovative solutions, SCHUNK, a family-owned company based in Lauffen, Germany, is heading towards the future together with its customers and partners. The collective vision of automated, autonomous production is increasingly becoming a reality. At automatica in Munich from June 21 to 24, 2022, SCHUNK will be exhibiting examples of solutions for the broad spectrum of automated manufacturing in a wide range of application fields through personal dialog with experts: from life sciences to eMobility – from handling to robot-assisted machining.

Cleverly bundled

There is still a lot of hidden efficiency potential, especially in metalworking manufacturing environments. For this, the new MTB application kits from SCHUNK provide a convenient introduction to automated machine loading with cobots. The universal grippers and clamping vises included are already preconfigured for use in metal-cutting machining. Suitable robot-specific connection kits enable straightforward commissioning. That saves time during planning and enables up to 50 percent faster loading and unloading. The user-friendly application kits are ideally suited for challenging use in machine tools due to special features such as the sealed valve box or an integrated blow-off nozzle for dirt and chips.

New members of the pneumatics family

The classics in automation, the pneumatic grippers, have also seen some changes. These proven all-rounders remain indispensable in most sectors of industry due to their reliability and wide range of variants. The competence leader for gripping systems and automation solutions is setting new standards here for the flexible handling scenarios of tomorrow with further developed technologies such as integrated process monitoring, increased safety or individualization options. In Munich, SCHUNK is presenting new additions to its pneumatic gripper family, which get high marks for their unrivaled features. SCHUNK is also expanding its digital services and taking the next step towards individualization with freely configurable products. It began with the FGR finger configurator introduced in the spring of 2022. This smart tool can be used to plan and order customized gripper fingers with just a few clicks. As a true treat at the trade fair, SCHUNK will be presenting a new configurable, pneumatic long-stroke gripper at automatica.

Sustainable and easy to integrate

In times when the energy balance is playing an increasingly important role, technological approaches that enable energy-efficient production are in demand. With its new magnetic and adhesive grippers, SCHUNK is making a contribution to energy-saving handling. One example is the EMH electro-permanent magnetic gripper, which SCHUNK is presenting with new variants at automatica. It combines the strengths of magnetic technology with the advantages of 24-volt technology. These grippers are reliable tools when it comes to gripping ferromagnetic small components. Another trade fair highlight will undoubtedly be the sustainable gripping technology of ADHESO, with which SCHUNK is conquering new fields of application. Inspired by nature, the gripper overcomes technical limits in the handling process and enables gentle, residue-free gripping without external energy – for example, for battery and fuel cell production, in the medical and pharmaceutical industries, or in the electrical industry.

A look into the future

Production is becoming increasingly autonomous. Handling components are no longer just simple products, but intelligent solutions for robotic tasks. Equipped with cameras and sensors, they provide important înformation on the process for future intelligent and autonomous services. Intelligent gripping, intuitive operation, self-learning devices or autonomous milling are examples of these endeavors that are leading to new perspectives in robotics and automation. SCHUNK speaker Dr. Martin May, Director of the Innovation Center, will provide food for thought and a glimpse into the autonomous future at the automatica Forum on June 23nd. SCHUNK visitors can get their free ticket at schunk.com/automatica