Product News

OnRobot kicked off the new year by shipping pre-orders of its new Gecko Gripper, that uses millions of micro-scaled fibrillar stalks that adhere to a surface using powerful van der Waals forces—the same way that geckos climb. The Gecko Gripper lets robots pick up flat, smooth objects with significant energy savings over existing grippers such as vacuum grippers, which require compressed air that is costly, power-intensive, and bulky.

The Kuebler Group offers contact and contactless slip rings for reliable Ethernet transmission—achieving higher data rates and greater cycle synchronicity in demanding industrial environments.

The RG2-FT from OnRobot is a new gripper available to manufacturers around the world. An update to OnRobot’s first edition, the RG2-FT now has built-in force/torque sensing, supporting workpiece detection and centering.

Milwaukee Tool rounds out its cordless grinding lineup with the addition of new small-angle grinders that generate the power of 13 amp corded. Featuring a full 6” grinding capacity, the M18 FUEL 4-1/2” to 6” Braking Grinders include Rapid Stop to automatically stop all accessories in less than 3 seconds.

The bridge-like design of a gantry provides the framework for controlled precise overhead motion that is often sought after for 3D printing, assembly, pick-and-place, alignment, inspection and industrial automation applications. PI introduces the A-341 HGS hybrid gantry – designed to combine maximum throughput with smooth and highly accurate motion.

PI (Physik Instrumente) LP has released the new model E-619, a high-power piezo amplifier designed to drive high-capacitance multilayer piezo actuators with rapid rise times or high frequencies. As a special form of electro-ceramics, piezo materials are the industry standard when it comes to speed, force and precision in a small package.

The DeHoff 1024C is a 6-spindle gundrilling machine used for high-volume production of automotive camshafts. The machine is designed to gundrill a hole down the centerline of the camshaft to reduce weight. This enables a Tier 1 automotive supplier to produce lighter camshafts in large volumes for use in new high-efficiency engines.

Walter has introduced its next generation of milling tools: the Xtra·tec XT (Xtended Technology). Designed to achieve increased productivity and process reliability, this new generation of milling cutters is being launched with initial offerings of shoulder milling cutters and a facemilling cutter. The mills cover virtually all requirements in shoulder and slot milling in all common material groups.

Shops that seek to maximize milling performance while they reduce tooling inventories will benefit from newly introduced Power Milling Chucks from Seco Tools. With holding power and transmittable torque that rival hydraulic and shrink-fit holders, Power Milling Chucks deliver high precision with 5-micron runout accuracy at 3 times diameter in addition to enhanced application flexibility and cost effectiveness.

As a market-leading photo chemical etching specialist for over 50 years, Precision Micro has developed etchant chemistries and processes that make etching possible on a wide range of metals. Stainless steel, however, remains the number one choice for many of the company’s customers due to its versatility, the numerous grades available, and the vast array of finishes. Precision Micro etches more than two million steel and stainless steel components each month, making it the largest sheet etching company in Europe.

Custom composite clad metal wire that can combine the properties of several materials where solid wire is limited or too expensive is available from Anomet Products. In addition to serving OEMs, the firm is seeking wire suppliers who want to expand their product offerings.

To boost the first-stage roughing operation on newly cast aluminum parts for the automotive industry, cutting tool and tooling systems specialist Sandvik Coromant is introducing its M5Q90 tangential milling cutter. Designed to complete "cubing" (first machining of faces after casting) in a single operation without creating burrs, the new tool is fitted with PCD tangential inserts that provide a smooth and stable cutting action to lower power consumption and eliminate vibration. This concept ensures reliable performance, improved tool life, exceptional surface finish, high metal-removal rate and an increased number of parts per insert.

Long machine tool axes are increasingly being equipped with linear drives, and HEIDENHAIN’s new LC 201 absolute linear scale was introduced to specifically meet those drive position feedback needs. This new scale is a single-section METALLUR tape encoder, which is suitable for use in linear motor applications that may be required to reach high acceleration levels within the linear drive systems.

INDEX has announced the launch of its new G420 turn/mill center. The machine features identical 3,500-rpm twin spindles with 315 mm (400 mm optional) chucks and a robust 5-axis milling spindle that provides up to 12,000 rpm with an HSK-T63 interface or 18,000 rpm with a Capto C6 interface.

Wildeck Inc. has introduced the newest addition to its family of material handling products, the Pallet Drop Zone (DZ) Safety Gate. This new product, equipped with a double-sided gate, offers maximum protection to workers accessing large pallet loads at elevated levels.

Moore Nanotechnology Systems (“Nanotech”) has released its next generation NanoCAM4 software package with enhanced capabilities. Nanotech’s latest product release has been years in the making. Comprehensive, yet easy to use, NanoCAM4 (N4) brings a significantly high level of accuracy and programming functionality to the ultraprecision optical market.

Henkel has introduced a new process control system that addresses key challenges in metal pretreatment as customers are increasingly seeking to implement data-driven Industry 4.0 solutions. In combination with the company’s New Generation Conversion coatings (NGC) for multiple-metal substrates, the Bonderite E-CO digital multiple-channel (DMC) controller enables maximum corrosion performance and sustainability at minimized overall process costs.

Breathe new life into your trusted machines that are mechanically sound but electrically obsolete. Get a Drake CS:R (Control System Renewal) and eliminate the headache of outdated controls and motors that are no longer supported. Drake’s CS:R package is an economical way to return machines that are still good mechanically, but have failure-prone controls, to higher productivity.

Exact Metrology has acquired a new metrology-grade GE Phoenix v|tome|x m, a CT scanner system with dual tube technology, nanofocus to 180Kv and microfocus to 300Kv, significantly expanding the company’s capability in 3D scanning to 2 microns with sufficient power to measure denser parts. Exact Metrology is the first company in the U.S. to purchase this system, according to company sources.

Formulators looking to enhance the corrosion protection of increasingly popular water-based coatings systems can now use Cortec’s M-120, a water-based corrosion inhibitor additive that does not contain heavy metals. M-120 can be used alone or in conjunction with other inhibitors to increase the corrosion protection abilities of both water-based and solvent-based systems. It is recommended for use in acrylic and alkyd resin systems.