SCHUNK has unveiled a pneumatic positioning device (PPD) to enable adaptable gripping motions for automated tasks. Rather than basic open/close actions, the module grants intermediate finger placement for optimizing robotic pick-and-place motions.

Developed as an accessory for the company's pneumatic grippers, the compact PPD links via IO-Link with integrated electronics, valves and sensors creating a closed-loop system. After detecting objects using vision, the unit can adjust gripper posture to avoid collisions with nearby items while preparing ideal grasp points.

This also permits gently lifting irregular or fragile objects using minimal force instead of maximum clamping pressure. Grippers equipped with the PPD unit can significantly reduce cycle times by eliminating unnecessary travel to fully open/closed extremes between operations.

The module's versatility aims to bring automation to more processes requiring agile manipulation. Quick installation on new and existing gripper setups allows easy implementation for optimizing existing applications. Even large industrial arms gain human-like dexterity to handle diverse parts with sensitivity.

According to SCHUNK, avoiding complex gripper modifications using the broadly compatible PPD helps users cost-efficiently address emerging flexibility needs in an evolving manufacturing landscape.

Whether picking odd metal castings requiring custom angles of approach or lifting trays holding delicate silicone wafers, the PPD's adaptive precision arms robots with an expanded range of intelligent gripping strategies. This seeks to push economic automation into roles demanding human-level skills like situational awareness and selective caution.