Tell us about your company.

Schmalz is a global leader in the field of industrial automation as it pertains to vacuum automation, robotic palletizing vacuum grippers, material handling vacuum lift assist devices and CNC machine vacuum clamping. The company is known for its innovative quality products, which give its customers decisive productivity improvements in their manufacturing processes, as well as its commitment to the environment and its employees.  The forward-looking, 105-year-young, privately held manufacturer has continually reinvented itself with each generation and has to its credit over 450 patents to date.

Your company will be exhibiting at MODEX, what is it that makes this an important event for your company?

Schmalz vacuum gripping systems have, for a very long time, solved complex and challenging application needs. To extend our presence into the modern, collaborative work environments we have newly released EOATs specifically designed for the working safely among human employees. Modex is a platform for acquainting customers with these tools, their benefits and the best fits for their use.

What makes your booth a must visit for MODEX Attendees?

This year’s Modex is important to us as we have so many new technologies recently released. On the ergonomic, manual lifter side of our business we have our NEW JumboPicker, which offers the same back saving lifting capabilities (for workpieces up to 88 lbs.), but attaches to a forklift for mobilizing the lifter through the warehouse space and our newly introduced Smart lifter, for lifting with extra safety features and monitoring with Industry 4.0 smart tools. Visitors to our booth will be given opportunity to test drive these lifting devices.

On the Automation side of our business we’ve given more of our booth space to robotic end-of-arm tools demonstrating both industrial palletizing and collaborative applications, using our fast growing line of Cobot grippers and pumps. We also have hands-on testing for our standard universal gripper options, demonstration of our Ethernet Compact Terminal unit of several vacuum generators for simultaneously handling different parts with a single vacuum system as well as our various cups and components to aid in automating manufacturing.

JumboPicker: For ergonomically safe lifting anywhere in the warehouse

ECBPi with VEE: Collaborative EOATs for vacuum generation and workpiece handling

Customized universal grippers for most any application challenge

When you get a chance to walk the exhibit hall floor yourself, what is it you will be most interested to see?  Any educational sessions, pavilions etc. you plan on attending? 

I always look forward to the New Product Showcases. An opportunity to see what’s new and the direction future developments will be taking us.

The Supply Chain is undertaking rapid advancements, be it automation, mobile robotics, IIoT or Autonomous vehicles, give us an idea on how your company and product is being utilized now in the supply chain.

Schmalz investment in smart factory products have been developing and improving rapidly over the past 5 years. Using NFC, IO-Link and Ethernet is making set up of operations 75% faster. We’re also incorporating means of monitoring and optimizing machine data remotely and in real time and increasing machine uptime with tools for tracking predictive maintenance.

The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of RoboticsTomorrow

Schmalz

Schmalz is the global market leader in vacuum automation and ergonomic handling solutions. Schmalz products are used all over the world in applications in the logistics, glass, metal, automotive, packaging, and wood industry sects. The wide range of products in the Vacuum Automation unit includes individual components such as suction cups and vacuum generators, as well as complete gripping systems and clamping solutions for holding workpieces.

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