BoKa relies on Röhm grippers

Based on many years of positive experience with products from clamping device specialist Röhm, BoKa Automation GmbH is relying on two-jaw grippers for its newest development. With these products, a robot grips individual workpieces for further part handling directly on the machine.
Following its formation in 2014, BoKa Automation GmbH has grown into a €1.8m turnover concern. Co-founder Severin Bobon describes the company mission: “Our main goal has always been to provide the best possible service and solutions to customers.” This is a principle that was followed in the development of CodaBot, the newest product from BoKa.
CodaBot stands for ‘Collaborative Discharge Assistant Robot’. Since a wide variety of workpieces are to be handled by CodaBot, flexibility is the top priority, even for the grippers.
A system located near Hamburg shows how CodaBot operates. There, medical products – namely bone pins made of titanium – are removed from a turning machine automatically. Afterwards, a titanium chip is removed from a frontal thread bore, in order to clean the bone pin in an ultrasonic bath. A device then cleans and blow dries the bone pin in order to then deposit the sensitive workpieces free of damage and scratches. This objective is a challenge, even for the Röhm grippers.
Machining is performed from conventional 3 m bar; the workpieces can be up to 100 mm in diameter. A two-jaw gripper is deployed, the RPP50 from Röhm, which has been modified with special features according to customer requirements. Depending on the workpiece dimensions, smaller or larger grippers are used, which can be pneumatically actuated and are designed to be self-holding.
A wide variety of such two-jaw grippers is available from Röhm. Equipped with two parallel fingers, they are especially suited for gripping round and angular-shaped workpieces.
For further information www.roehm.biz

Easy online purchasing with ITC app

Industrial Tooling Corporation has introduced the new ITC app. Created to provide existing and new customers with unparalleled access to the company’s cutting tools and services, the app is a convenient and easy-to-use solution for engineers who want to check availability and purchase products.

Also, customers can access a host of ITC services, such as searching their app order history, creating and storing favourite items, and completing lists of tooling for individual machining jobs. The new ITC App can be downloaded from Android and Apple-based platforms, or via the link below.
For further information https://is.gd/tubaxo

Failsafe pneumatic swing clamps

Roemheld has introduced pneumatically actuated swing clamps incorporating a mechanical locking action, whereby the full holding force – between 200 and 600 N – is maintained in the case of air-pressure reduction or loss, ensuring operator safety and avoiding the production of scrap. Operating pressure is between 2 and 6 bar.

The clamp is a pull-type cylinder with a piston that is automatically locked when the workpiece height is within the designated clamping range, after which the air line can be depressurised or uncoupled, for example during pallet change. For unclamping, which is monitored, only the minimum pneumatic pressure is needed.
A feature of the clamps is a pair of flow control valves that can be easily adjusted from above. The valves allow the speed of the sturdy swing mechanism to be reduced if the flow rate is too high or when the clamping arms are of larger mass. This functionality also enables synchronisation or sequencing of the closure of several connected clamps. The swing angle is normally 90° clockwise or counter-clockwise, although it can be 60°, 45° or absent (0°).
If machining dry or with MQL, the ingress of small particles can be prevented by the use of an additional wiper ring.
For further information www.roemheld.co.uk

EuroBlech postponed until March

Mack Brooks Exhibitions has postponed EuroBLECH 2020, which was scheduled to take place at the Hanover Exhibition Grounds in Germany on 27-30 October.

The new date for the show, which focuses on sheet metalworking technology, is 9-12 March 2021. However, a digital innovation summit will take place on the original date.
Nicola Hamann, managing director of Mack Brooks Exhibitions, says: “Following feedback from our exhibitors and visitors indicating the need to participate in an event, even if not in physical form, we will organise a digital innovation summit taking place on 27-30 October. This event will provide our exhibitors with a platform to demonstrate their latest machines and solutions, and arrange virtual meetings with international visitors. We believe it is our duty to assist the industry through these extraordinary times by offering a marketplace as a platform for innovations and a starting point for the recovery of industry.”
For further information www.euroblech.com

Lotus jobs

Lotus Cars says that its steel fabrication (at Vulcan Road, Norwich) and lightweight structures (located in Worcester) businesses will be brought together into one new, larger facility at Hurricane Way in Norwich with the creation of up to 125 new jobs.

The 12,300 sq m Hurricane Way factory will be converted to a new sub-assembly facility to manufacture aluminium extruded and bonded aluminium chassis for the Evora, Exige and Elise Lotus sports cars. This facility will also house the steel welding and fabrication of sub-frames, suspension components and other key parts for Lotus cars.
For further information www.lotuscars.com