TPT November 2015

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Technology News
November 2015 57
Demagnetising, gripping and lifting
AT Blechexpo in Stuttgart (3-6
November), Goudsmit Magnetic
Systems will present a number of plate
handling innovations.
These include additions to its range
of magnetic grippers for picking up or
holding materials such as stamped steel
parts, blanks and perforated plates.
The original design was suitable for
plate thicknesses up to 6mm; the new
version can handle thicker objects,
and is three times as powerful, giving a
100mm diameter gripper a shear force
of 3,500N.
In addition, the grippers can be
equipped with sensors that show when
the magnet is on or inactive. This is
particularly important in robotisation,
because it allows better control.
Magnet grippers offer a safe working
method and there is no need for a
backup system to guarantee that the
load remains attached. These types of
combination grippers can also handle
perforated plates and small parts
without any modification or change of
tools. Rising demand for higher
quality makes work piece
demagnetisation increasingly
important. Magnetised work
pieces attract iron particles.
The impossibility to weld
magnetised objects is an
additional problem.
Magnetisation can cause
rough surfaces on work pieces
after galvanisation, as well as
products sticking to each other
and causing faults in moulds.
An increasing number
of companies are fitting
demagnetisation tunnels into their
production lines. In the past, it was
only possible to install demagnetisation
plates on existing production lines, and
plates are often less effective than a
tunnel. Because of this, Goudsmit has
developed a modular demagnetisation
tunnel that combines the installation
ease of demagnetisation plates with a
tunnel’s efficiency. A major advantage
of this is that the transport belt is
replaceable in one piece. There is no
need to weld it to the machine or to run
it through the tunnel twice, using extra
guide rollers. This makes the option to
demagnetise work pieces in grinding,
sanding or brushing machines available
to everyone.
Goudsmit Magnetic Systems BV –
Netherlands
Website: