Important Things to Evaluate before Buying an End of Arm Tooling

June 25th, 2021

One innovation of technology that has significantly improved various manufacturing and industrial processes is the end of arm tooling or EOAT. Often connected to the end of a robotic arm, EOAT components directly interact with various parts and components in conducting different procedures.

In carrying out manufacturing and industrial procedures, a wide array of EOAT components is available. Some of these include grippers, welding torches, material removal tools, collision sensors, tool changers, and force-torque sensors. They boast different qualities that make them applicable to certain processes. Without the right EOAT component, automated and robotic systems will not be truly effective.

Before buying an EOAT component, here are some important things that you should consider first.

Type of the Tool

One of the things that you should consider before buying an EOAT component is its tool type. EOAT components can be grouped into grippers, material removal, and welding and soldering.

Grippers are designed to pick up, place, move, and position products. Material removal components, alternatively, are meant for cutting, deburring, grinding, polishing, or trimming workpieces. EOAT components for welding and soldering, ultimately, are comprised of TIG, MIG, or laser welding tools.

Actuator Types

Aside from their tool type, EOAT components must also be evaluated based on their actuators. Actuators are machine components that carry out the movement of a system. There are four types of actuators that EOAT components may have. These types include electric, hydraulic, pneumatic, and vacuum.

Through automated systems, electric actuators can be flexible in moving or positioning parts, finishing processes, and welding. Hydraulic actuators, on the other hand, can be powered by liquids to generate force and move heavy products. Pneumatic actuators can move quickly between one or more positions. Lastly, vacuum actuators utilise air lines that can be useful for gripping applications.

Payload Limitation

EOAT components, as previously stated, are often attached to robotic arms. But for these arms to be effective, they must be equipped with EOAT components that respect their payload limits. Understanding the payload limits of the robotic arms can help regulate the amount of force that is needed for their movement. Doing this can also identify the amount of vibration that the machine and the robotic arm must expect and handle.

When choosing EOAT components, their weight must be considered heavily. Fortunately, a lot of EOAT components today are already made from materials that are lightweight, durable, and long-lasting.

Other Concerns

Generally, EOAT components can all be useful in their intended applications. However, they can only be utilised fully if they are installed and configured correctly. The overall operations of the EOAT components and their robotic arms can likewise be effective if they are programmed properly. Resources for cleaning and maintenance must also be present to ensure that they can work for a long time.

To acquire high-quality EOAT components for your applications, just give us a call at ENKOSI. We are an Australian company that is focused on supplying cost-effective, high-quality production equipment and specialised tooling to the manufacturing, automation, and aviation industries.

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