Embodiments of a vacuum material handler or lifting device and system of this disclosure provide a modular design that allows a power pack to be mounted directly to the pad or remotely mounted on host equipment to minimize lift weight. The pad, which includes an integral, pad reservoir, may be arranged, to accept a rotator or a tilting mechanism for position when used on mobile equipment. The power pack is independent of the pad and can be transferred to multiple pads, thereby permitting a single power pack to service the different pads. The control mechanism may reside on the pad to further facilitate modularity. Safety checks used for remote operation may be used to minimize the risk of danger in the event of remote vacuum hose or vacuum failure.

A multi-axis gantry system comprising a multi-axis gantry apparatus and vacuum system, and method for repositioning is disclosed. The multi-axis gantry system comprises a frame. The frame includes a plurality of curved base members, a first rail, a second rail, a bridge slidably moveable along the first rail and the second rail, a carriage including an end effector, and a first plurality of pucks and a second plurality of pucks. The vacuum system comprises a vacuum controller, a first vacuum source and a second vacuum source. Each of the first and second vacuum sources is in fluid communication with one or more pucks of the first and second pluralities of pucks. The frame is reconfigurable from a first configuration mountable on a first work surface to a second configuration mountable on a second work surface that may be different from the first work surface.

A slab handling system provides an accessory that can be configured to secure vacuum grippers to a beam. The accessory includes a body having a passageway therethrough for receiving the beam. The body further including slots on either side of the passageway that are configured to receive connectors of a vacuum gripper. In one embodiment the accessory can also be configured as a height-adjusting device. In one embodiment the accessory can also be configured as a traction device. The height-adjusting device and the traction device may be used in conjunction with the accessory and vacuum grippers to facilitate handling of one or more slabs.

A material lifter comprising a vacuum pump, a frame containing the vacuum pump, an arm located on each of two opposing sides of the frame, each arm including an upper end pivotally connected to the frame, a cylinder located on each of the two opposing sides of the frame including an end connected to the frame and an end connected to a respective arm, a vacuum pad located on each of the two opposing sides of the frame and removably connected to a respective arm, the vacuum pads being moveable along the arm to a first location and a first orientation and a second different location and a second different orientation, wherein as the cylinders extend and retract the arms pivot toward and away from one another between a first position and a second different position and the vacuum pads remain in a same orientation during the pivot.

A press brake assembly including a crane system and press brake machine for processing a workpiece. The crane system having a workpiece handling mechanism configured to pick and store the workpiece. The crane system allows the crane to move along a plane via longitudinal and lateral rails. The crane also includes multiple swivel points to allow mobility to handle workpieces efficiently. The control system of the press brake machine may control the crane, allowing a single control system to control the press brake assembly.

A gripping device for a part stacking system that according to one embodiment includes a plurality of supporting arms and a plurality of gripping elements attached to the supporting arms, at least some of said gripping elements being movable with respect to the respective supporting arm. Each supporting arm comprises at least one guiderail and each movable gripping element comprises a carriage movable in the corresponding guiderail. The static friction force between each carriage and the respective guiderail is such that the movable gripping elements are kept immobile with respect to the supporting arms by means of said static friction force during the part stacking process, and said movable gripping elements are positioned with respect to the respective supporting arm overcoming said static friction force.

The disclosure relates to a device for automatically lifting a packing material comprising a lifting element movable between a lower removal position and an upper transfer position, a vacuum source configured to create a negative pressure, a drive element, and a suction element, which has at least one opening of a vacuum line and is mechanically connected to the lifting element and is fluidically connected to the vacuum source by means of the vacuum line. The lifting element is configured to place the suction element on an uppermost packing material of a stack of packing materials by its weight force in the lower removal position, wherein the opening of the vacuum line can be closed in an airtight manner, and wherein the lifting element is configured to move together with the sucked packing material into the upper transfer position.

An elongated container has a convex shape with a bulge defining a center width of the elongated container. An apparatus and method for lifting the elongated container are described. The apparatus performs a pick operation from a front side of the elongated container. The pick operation includes approaching and gripping the elongated container from the front side. During the pick operation, an outer dimension of the apparatus in a direction perpendicular to an elongated direction defined by the elongated container is smaller than the center width of the elongated container.

The invention relates to a method for conveying components and to an automated vacuum gripper (1) for components (3), in particular sheet metal parts, comprising a plurality of suction elements (4), which are arranged at a preferably movable support part (5), a first vacuum generator (8) for forming a first vacuum circuit (9), a second vacuum generator (10) for forming a second vacuum circuit (11), at least one switching element connected to a system controller (14) for automated switching of the first vacuum circuit (9) to the second vacuum circuit (11), at least one compressed air supply (15) connected to at least the first and the second vacuum generators (8), at least one sensor device (16, 17), wherein the first vacuum generator (8) is associated with a first predeterminable group (12) of suction elements (4), and the second vacuum generator (10) is connected to a vacuum tank (18) for forming a second vacuum circuit (11), which may be activated in case of emergency and is redundant to the first vacuum circuit (9), and wherein at least one first sensor device is (16) is formed for monitoring the vacuum at least at the first vacuum circuit (9), and at least one second sensor device (17) has an optical sensor for detecting a relative movement of the component (3) during a conveying operation.

A material lifter comprising a vacuum pump, a frame containing the vacuum pump, an arm located on each of two opposing sides of the frame, each arm including—an upper end—pivotally connected to the frame, a cylinder located on each of the two opposing sides of the frame including an end connected to the frame and an end connected to a respective arm, a vacuum pad located on each of the two opposing sides of the frame—and removably connected to a respective arm, the vacuum pads being moveable along the arm to a first location and a first orientation and a second different location and a second different orientation, wherein as the cylinders extend and retract the arms pivot toward and away from one another between a first position and a second different position and the vacuum pads remain in a same orientation during the pivot.