APEX Automation & Robotics has been supplying their customers with robotic
systems for packaging, palletising, loading and unloading products in production
lines. The products handled by these robots have ranged from an array of light plastic
bottles to heavy metal parts weighing up to 100kg with a reach of up to 3metres.
Most of these robotic cells have been integrated with automatic dispensing
and marshalling of pallets as well as accumulation systems for the product
so that production is not interrupted when replenishing pallets.

In a recent robotic cell designed for the warehousing & logistics industry,
APEX has developed a universal gripper that handles boxes varying in size
up to 600x600x600mm, and weighing up to 30kg.

This unique gripper features two axes with position feedbacks that can be automatically
adjusted to suit the next box to be picked up. It operates by tilting the case on a flat bed
or a belt conveyor in order to engage a plate underneath that supports it and takes
the weight as the case is moved around. This gripping method is positive and reliable
as opposed to common robotics heads designed for variable size boxes that use
vacuum, which can be risky since it relies on the strength and integrity of the case
and sometimes on the product itself to carry its own weight.

With zero setup time and positive gripping, this universal gripper presents another
automation solution offered by Apex Automation and Robotics to their customers to help
them keep a competitive edge.