Many tasks that seem simple to humans have no robotic solutions. Six-pack gripping is one of them, but Piab Vakuum GmbH has developed a system claimed to cause no damage.

After discussions with customers in plant engineering and the beverage industry, Piab experts learned that there was a need for a gripper for the simple automated handling of six-packs with cardboard packaging. Customers stated that they required robotic handling for beer and beer mixed drinks, which must be packaged and boxed.

Piab AB develops automation for machine manufacturers and end users in e-commerce, logistics, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and other manufacturing industries across 70 countries. The Swedish-based gripper and motion company, with an office in Hingham, Massachusetts, has more than 700 employees, and sales in 2018 amounted to 12 billion Swedish kronor (1.4 billion US dollars).

Piab designs suction cups suitable for delicate six-packs.

Piab states that automating the handling of six-packed bottles is difficult because most mechanical grippers cannot pick up bottles from the top of the caps. These caps are usually sealed with aluminum or paper seals that would otherwise be damaged.

The company states that, meanwhile, the cardboard is very thin and unstable and must be handled with care. The gripper should also not leave any marks on the cardboard box to avoid creating the impression of packaging damage.

Piab's vacuum experts, led by global S account manager Bernd Gries, have developed a special gripper with rectangular suction cups. The rectangular suction cups pick up six-piece packs at only three positions.

To prevent the cardboard from being pulled in and leaving marks due to the large suction surface area, the Piab team developed corresponding load support as part of the suction cup. This prevents the cardboard from being pulled in and damaged.

Piab states that the gripper is manufactured using 3D printing technology, allowing it to be easily adapted to different six-pack sizes. The fastest method is through replaceable cheeks, which stabilize the six-pack in the gripper during operation.

The gripper holds and lifts the Sixpack gently but firmly, without damaging the bottles, carton, or labels. In addition to the side fingers, the main gripping force comes from specially designed suction cups on the top, which are designed not to suck in the thin cardboard packaging of the six-pack. Source: Piab Vakuum GmbH

COAX ejectors provide safety.

In addition to the rectangular suction cups from Piab, the gripper includes COAX vacuum ejectors. The company explains that each square suction cup has an integrated COAX ejector distributed within it. This provides additional safety during operation, as each ejector works independently of the others.

If one ejector fails due to contamination, the six-pack handler will continue to be reliably held by the other two handlers. The per paper gripper features automatic air blow pulses, allowing the six-pack to be dropped quickly. Piab states that this simultaneously cleans the ejectors, channels, and suction cups.

The company adds that the gripper offers customers with an Industry 4.0 interface the option to query vacuum process data.