Customer Profile
Universal Robots (UR) is a global developer and manufacturer of user-friendly and flexible industrial robots. UR’s expertise in the robotics field has enabled businesses to derive creative concepts and innovative solutions for all productions.
Challenges
In warehouse operations, Multi-Axis Suction End-of-Arm Tooling (EOAT) systems play a critical role in enabling efficient “pick and place” processes across multiple industries. However, traditional suction EOAT designs posed several operational and safety challenges.
Conventional EOATs, typically designed to pick up flat-surfaced items, were heavy and cumbersome, reducing the robot’s overall payload capacity and efficiency. CNC-manufactured designs were heavy, reducing payload capacity, and their sharp edges posed safety risks for operators.
Additionally, design constraints prevented the integration of independent vacuum channels, limiting flexibility for varied pick-and-place patterns. UR sought a lightweight, safer, and more efficient EOAT capable of handling multiple parts simultaneously with improved precision.
Solutions
Facing the design limitations of CNC machining, UR adopted FDM technology to produce complex, precise, and durable EOAT components. Polycarbonate (PC) was selected for its superior strength, flexibility, and sterilization capability, meeting industrial standards for safety and performance.
Leveraging 3D printing’s design freedom, engineers redesigned the tool with bent fingers to eliminate safety risks, and embedded inserts for air supply and suction to enhance durability and multi-size object handling. The flexibility of FDM also enabled rapid prototyping and easy design modifications, ensuring continuous optimization.
Impact
The new 3D printed EOAT was produced within days instead of weeks, reducing both lead time and assembly costs due to fewer components. The tool delivered lightweight efficiency without compromising strength, improved operational safety by removing sharp edges, and offered customizability previously unattainable with CNC.
Through this integration of additive manufacturing, UR achieved a faster, safer, and more cost-effective production workflow, showcasing the transformative potential of 3D printing in industrial automation.
Discover the key benefits and features of Polymer 3D Printers or choose our AM Consultancy Service to manage your entire product development process.
