Air GimGripper™ - TSA Universal CNC Spindle Gripper
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Description
Our Through Spindle Air GimGripper™ is the go-to in-machine automation solution for CNC machine-tending for machines with Through Air. The Spindle Gripper goes into the machine’s ATC (automatic tool changer) just like any other tool. Once a piece of stock is ready to be loaded, the gripper is automatically loaded into the spindle, the machine moves its axes over the piece of stock, and the CNC Spindle Gripper clamps on the stock. The GimGripper’s fingers are Normally Open and closed using Through Air.
All GimGrippers™ ship as complete ready-to-operate kits. The included FastFinger™ Universal Plates provide incredibly fast setup for a wide variety of prat sizes, and the included Rubber Compression Pads enable preloading in the Z-Axis for excellent part repeatability in the Z Axis without undue load on the machine’s spindle bearings. Our Grippers have a 3/4” Shank with an included screw-in extension.
You can easily integrate the M-Code pneumatic control of the Gripper using our MCodeAir™ Kit. All of our Spindle Grippers are best to pair with AutoVise ™ line of Automated Workholding. Either use our all-in-one GripFlipGrip™ Two Op Automation Module that provides two AutoVise air vises and a Flip Station in one integrated unit. To flip your parts, use our QuickFlip™ Pneumatic Part Flipper.
For machines without Through Air or Coolant, you can use our Patent-Pending Roto-GimGripper™ that passes air in through the FloLink™ manifold block.
Technical Specs & Downloads
Downloads
Technical Specs
| Technical Specs | |
|---|---|
| Pressure Range | 0-140 psi |
| Repeatability | +/- 0.001” |
| Part Size Grip Range | 0” – 4.125” |
| Recommended Part Weight | <10 lbs |
This gripper works out of the box with your Through-Spindle Air machine, and only takes up one tool-slot. Works with almost all tool changers.
FAQs
CNC Spindle Grippers, also known as CNC Spindle Grabbers or CNC Part Tending Grippers, are the most cost-effective and easiest-to-implement form of CNC Machine Tending Automation. Unlike many other forms of Machine Tending Automation, CNC Spindle Grippers are the only form of CNC Machine Tending Automation that uses your CNC Machine itself to accomplish the movement of your components to be machined into and out of the workholding.
CNC Spindle Grippers are there to free up machine operators and let the machine tend itself automatically. Instead of eating up an operator’s entire day loading and unloading parts, the CNC Machine itself is able to load and unloads its own components, allowing operators to focus on process improvements, QC, and programming. While no form of CNC Machine Tending Automation eliminates the need for skilled operators, CNC Spindle Grippers often allow an operator to monitor and maintain five to six machines instead of only one.
Programming your CNC Spindle Gripper for Automated Machine Tending is surprisingly easy. Check out our Programming Article for complete instructions. Since this was the biggest hurdle for our customers, we created a Program Generator to allow you to generate programs fully-automatically for single operation machine tending automation. For two-operation automation, such as what you might use with our Two-Op Automation Pallet, we provide you with a free comprehensive template, which makes programming parts to run fully automatically as simple as programming a single two-operation part.
We make a variety of CNC Spindle Grippers including:
- Patent-Pending Bypass Model for Haas Mills (CAT40)
- Patent-Pending Rotary Bypass Model for Haas, Brother, & Robodrills (CAT40 & BT30)
- 3/4" Through-Spindle Coolant Model
- 3/4" Through-Spindle Air Model
Our 3/4" Through-Spindle Coolant and 3/4" Through-Spindle Air models can use any type of tool-holder. The 3/4" TSA Model can use any holder out-of-the-box. The 3/4" TSC Model can use any holder, but may require drilling a hole into the side of the holder to allow coolant depressurization.
Our Patent-Pending Rotary Bypass models are the only solution on the market that allow you to use Spindle Grippers for Machine Tending on a machine that lacks Through Spindle Air or Through Spindle Coolant.
Our Grippers are strategically size to work in almost any tool-changer without taking up more than a single tool-slot. We’ve tested hundreds of machines from Haas, Doosan/DN, Brother, Fanuc, DMG Mori, Hermle, Okuma, and many others. For the vast majority of Side-Mount and Umbrella tool-changers, these Grippers are tested and verified. For odd-ball tool-changers such as side-mount chain-style ATC’s, contact us to confirm compatibility.
Yes, you can do this with our Rotary Bypass Grippers, our Through-Spindle Air Grippers, or our Through-Spindle Coolant Models.
Gripper-loaded part weight essentially unlimited (to a point) depending on the finger design. We’ve had customers 3D print or machine custom fingers that hook under the part for large part loads.
For most applications (with the standard included gripper fingers), we generally recommend keeping part weight below 5 lbs for gripper part handling.
We’ve had customers move as much as 10lbs with the default gripper fingers, but you need to use 150-200psi air to make sure things are very tightly held. We’ve had customers move as much as 45 pounds using custom gripper fingers that wrap around the bottom of components.
