goudsmit compact magnets can grip heavy steel parts

The compact, robust magnet recently developed by Goudsmit Magnetics - called Powergripper - handles and holds heavy ferromagnetic components such as rolled profiles, bars, as well as grilles, plates and milled parts, solid steel products in brake disc shapes, and steel wheels. Magnetic grippers mounted on robots or XYZ manipulators can withstand weights exceeding 100 kilograms.

Effortlessly. The gripper is equipped with neodymium magnets that are pneumatically switched but permanently magnetic. This provides additional safety, as the magnet retains heavy loads even in the event of compressed air loss. This eliminates the need for any type of backup system, resulting in low investment and maintenance costs and a simple controller. To illustrate the ratio of compactness to magnetic force: the #115 mm magnet weighs 9.5 kg, safely lifts loads of approximately 175 kg, and has a holding force of 527 kg.

Goudsmit magnet finite element analysis

Compared to standard magnetic grippers with the same application but designed for thin-walled sheets, the power gripper with the same diameter is 3.5 times stronger. To achieve this, Goudsmit developed a closed magnetic circuit with neodymium magnets that make direct contact with the product being handled via steel legs. This pole configuration was calculated and optimized through FEM analysis to ensure the circuit is not prone to widening the air gap between the poles and the clamped object. This ensures optimal holding force, allowing even rusty products to be handled safely. The magnetic gripper is made of a specially bearing-supported suction cup assembly, and tests show its service life is at least one million cycles.

This magnetic gripper is less suitable for use on thin-walled products. When the wall thickness is less than 10 mm, the lifting force is relatively low, making normal grippers more appropriate. Tests showed the relative lifting force of the power gripper compared to ordinary grippers, indicating which products each is best suited for and their safe holding forces.

Goudsmit magnetsApplications

In robotic applications, Powergripper is used to pick up or hold sturdy, heavy steel parts such as castings, hot-rolled profiles, solid bars, and thick-walled welded structures. These magnetic grippers are also used to pick up steel workpieces for machining in saws and machine tools, as well as for welding and grinding processes. The on/off positions can be detected by market-standard sensors, which can be installed in slots provided specifically for this purpose. Two or three power grippers can also be connected together with special connecting bars for heavy-duty applications, such as lifting heavyweight hull sections in shipyards. The magnets can be opened and closed using simple pneumatic control with 5/2 or 5/3 valves. What makes this magnet system so special is that it is very powerful when switched on, but has almost no residual magnetism when switched off; the magnet is truly off. The magnets are maintenance-free, have a long service life, and are available in various sizes.