Novel solution for tricky handling problems

Thanks to a novel application of the Bernoulli principle, Bosch Rexroth can help designers, manufacturers and users of automation systems handle products with seemingly impossible surfaces.

Thanks to a novel application of the Bernoulli principle, Bosch Rexroth can help designers, manufacturers and users of automation systems handle products with seemingly impossible surfaces.

In fact, the company's NCT Series noncontact transfer units are actually designed to provide damage-free lift for products characterised by rough, sensitive, dirty or even porous (up to 50% holes) surfaces.

Hot or cold surfaces can be handled with equal ease.

Although part of the company's vacuum components range, NCT technology relies on a positive pressure air supply (a more readily available factory energy source compared with a vacuum supply) to provide noncontact lift.

NCT technology development was driven by the semiconductor industry's requirement for noncontact handling of expensive silicone wafers.

Proven in this sector, the fundamental benefits of the technology quickly transferred to other industries facing similar handling problems including pharmaceuticals, food and printing.

Notable applications include: handling CDs and DVDs; picking optical lenses without touching the main lens area; and lifting "leaky" objects such as electronic printed circuit boards peppered with small perforations.

Paper and plastic bags are also being processed using this technology.

In essence, Bernoulli's principle states that as the speed of a fluid increases, the pressure within it decreases.

The principle is often demonstrated by blowing between two sheets of paper and witnessing the higher external pressure push the two sheets together.

Bosch Rexroth's NCT units harness this principle.

Positive airflow under the device creates a lifting force between the centre and circumference.

Thanks to the continuous air flow, the lifted object never actually attaches itself to the NCT surface, allowing precision handling of delicate items.

Also, because there are no moving parts, NCT units offer a true nonwearing solution.

The company states it is unaware of any comparable, competitive technology and says the key customer benefit is the ability to handle products and materials that would be marked or damaged if gripped by conventional mechanical fingers or vacuum cups.

The NCT range currently comprises four different sized units measuring 20, 30, 40 and 60mm diameter.

Corresponding lifting forces at 5bar are: 0.9, 1.3, 2.0 and 6.0N.

Consequently, the maximum lift capability is 900g.

Depending on size, the weight of the anodised aluminium units ranges from 0.02 to 0.124kg, and air consumption ranges from 100 to 210 litre/min.

Working pressure for the nonlubricated compressed air supply is 1 to 7bar.

Ambient operating temperature is 5 to 60C.

Bosch Rexroth is supporting the NCT range with physical and online documentation, including CAD data which can be downloaded from the company's website.

During the initial design, development and application stages, Bosch Rexroth's worldwide support infrastructure offers telephone helpdesks, in-house engineering departments and field application engineers.

Subsequently, thanks to the technology's inherent reliability (no moving or wearing parts), in-service support requirements are limited or non existent.

For purchasing departments tasked with sourcing and buying NCT units, they are immediately available on a delivery timescale of three to five-days ex-stock from the company's distribution centres.

Depending on their company's location, buyers can either purchase the units direct or via sales partners throughout the UK.

If the units are integrated into automation systems destined for export, customers will be pleased to hear that they are available internationally via similar sales channels.

Bosch Rexroth's Dennis Yeates, summarised the NCT units' unique capabilities and benefits by saying: "The NCT range provides a solution for those tricky handling problems where mechanical grippers or vacuum cups would certainly have caused damage to delicate and expensive products".

"Not only do the noncontact transfer units succeed in previously virtually impossible applications, they do it without the need for any extra equipment to create a vacuum supply, such as vacuum pumps or generators".

"This gives our customers a total solution that is highly compact, has no wearing parts at all and only needs a supply of clean, dry compressed air".

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