Pneumatic stacking robot: precise bearing technology for the gripper system

User report profile

• What was needed: igus ® drylin® W linear guide, igubal ® pillow block bearing
• Requirements: low weight in the application combined with high performance under high weight absorption, reliability
• Industry: material handling
• Success for the customer: igubal® pillow block bearings are a strong and lightweight solution, are reliable and have enabled a significantly lower centre of gravity in the machine compared to conventional metal bearings; the drylin® W linear guides are a strong and at the same time lightweight system that enables the containers to be picked up quickly and reliably

Problem

As part of the international high school competition "FIRST Robotics Competition", the participants are set tasks each year that are to be solved by the individual teams using specially developed constructions. The task in 2015 presented the participants with the problem of stacking six industrial picking containers on top of each other and finally placing a recycling container on top of the tower. The containers themselves weigh around 3.5 kg per piece, while the container weighs a further 5 kg. After a construction phase lasting several weeks, each team has two minutes and 15 seconds to collect points by completing the task, which will ultimately decide the winner. 
The challenge here was to achieve precise centring of each container on the previous one and to be able to achieve such stability with the construction that the weight loads could be carried.

Solution

The team at Roseville Robotics decided to utilise an igus® linear guide and pillow block bearings for the moving components in the robotic solution for the gripper system, which is operated by pneumatics. The entire gripper system is lifted up to the tip by utilising igubal® pillow blocks located at the top of the robot.
The drylin® W linear guide and bearing form a strong yet lightweight system that ensures fast and reliable picking of the order picking containers. The igubal ® pillow block bearings are a strong and lightweight solution that is reliable and allows the centre of gravity to be significantly reduced compared to typical metal pillow block bearings. Weight and reliability are important to us and the igus® products fulfil these requirements.
The participants at Roseville Robotics came to the idea of using the igus® components after already using a flange bearing from igus® to replace a very heavy metal bearing in a robotic solution in 2009. The solution worked for many 100 hours in the application with heavy side loads and very high speed, and without any recognisable wear.