OnRobot Launches Innovative New Collaborative Grippers and Force-Torque Sensor Upgrades

The newly founded OnRobot presents its first new products at automatica 2018 since merging three international companies

Munich/Odense, June 20, 2018 - OnRobot, the new company formed through the merger of the three international companies On Robot, OptoForce and Perception Robotics, will present its first new products at automatica 2018. The Gecko Gripper, Polyskin Tactile Gripper, RG2-FT gripper and a technical upgrade of the HEX force-torque sensor product line based on OptoForce technology will open up new applications for collaborative robotics and make implementation even easier. In this fast-growing market segment, OnRobot has positioned itself from the ground up as the innovative provider for collaborative grippers and end-of-arm tooling.

The newly founded OnRobot presents three new products and a technical upgrade at this year's automatica. "Collaborative robots have the potential to become the comprehensive standard in industrial automation," says Enrico Krog Iversen, CEO of OnRobot. "We want to unleash this potential by making collaborative applications even easier to implement and to carry them into completely new applications - that is the idea behind all our new products that we are presenting here at automatica."
Innovative gripping with gecko and NASA technology
The innovative Gecko Gripper, developed by Perception Robotics, was inspired by nature and uses the same adhesive system for gripping as the feet of a gecko, with millions of fine fibers that adhere to the surface of the workpiece and generate strong van der Waals forces. For the Gecko Gripper technology, OnRobot licenses a concept originally developed by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and brought it to market maturity.

This unique and fast-moving solution for handling large, flat objects makes vacuum grippers and their compressed air system unnecessary. In contrast to vacuum grippers, the Gecko Gripper can also handle perforated or porous workpieces such as printed circuit boards without any problems. The gripper is compatible with Universal Robots and Kawasaki robotic arms. The high degree of innovation has led to the system being among the three finalists of this year's renowned IERA Award for innovation and entrepreneurship, which will be awarded at automatica.
More sensitivity for demanding workpieces
The Polyskin Tactile Gripper also comes from the innovation forge of Perception Robotics. The solution specializes in sensitive gripping: Both fingers can be individually aligned and have integrated tactile sensors at the fingertips. This allows the gripper to precisely measure the condition of the surface of workpieces and align its gripping processes accordingly. These properties take tactile gripping to a whole new level, especially when working with sensitive or irregular workpieces. The Polyskin Tactile Gripper is also compatible with Universal Robots and Kawasaki.



Gripper for precise assembly
OnRobot is launching a variation of its established RG2 gripper, the RG2-FT with integrated force-torque sensors and a proximity sensor, which also accurately detects the condition of objects. The gripper detects the danger of objects slipping off even before it happens, making handling even safer - for workers as well as for the workpiece. This gripper model is particularly suitable for use in precision assembly and is compatible with lightweight robots from Universal Robots and KUKA.



Fast installation for sensors
The OnRobot product line for force-torque sensors based on OptoForce HEX technology has received a substantial technical upgrade, making installation and handling of the sensors even easier and faster. Mounting is now up to 30 percent faster, partly thanks to overload protection integrated in the sensor, which no longer has to be removed and mounted separately when attaching to the robot arm. Furthermore, the weight of the sensor can be reduced by 20 percent. A new, improved sealing ring also protects the HEX products better against dust or water in the environment.


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About OnRobot
OnRobot, based in Odense, Denmark, offers technologies — both hardware and software — used in end-of-arm tooling, mainly for collaborative robots (cobots). OnRobot is based on On Robot, which was founded in 2015 by Bilge Jacob Christiansen and Ebbe Overgaard Fuglsang. OnRobot integrates grippers, sensors and other cobot equipment to facilitate the use of the technology in applications such as packaging, quality testing, material handling, machine tending, assembly and welding, and is planning to acquire and manufacture additional technologies with worldwide support. In addition to its headquarters in Denmark, OnRobot now has consolidated sales offices in Germany, China, U.S., Malaysia and Hungary. For more information, visit www.onrobot.com.

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