QUEBEC CITY – Robotiq today announced the launch of three new tools and software for collaborative robots that help automate packaging, palletizing, and sanding processes. The company will showcase the new tools at this week’s Automate 2019 show in Chicago.

Robotiq’s AirPick includes options for one or two suction cups on its vacuum gripper. Source: Robotiq
The AirPick, EPick and Robotiq Sanding Kit are designed for manufacturers looking for less expensive and less complicated options for those processes, without having to build a custom-designed solution, the company said.
AirPick and EPick are customizable vacuum grippers aimed at several industrial applications, with plug-and-play features that make them easier to program and quick to install on cobots. Robotiq said the tools’ ability to handle objects of varying sizes, shapes, materials, and weights “makes them an effective solution for packaging, palletizing, pick-and-place, assembly, and machine-tending applications.” Both AirPick and EPick come with options for one or two suction cups for customers to choose from.

The EPick vacuum gripper also features one or two-suction cup options. Source: Robotiq
Robotiq said the two vacuum grippers complete the company’s lineup of grippers. They added that expanding into vacuum grippers was a natural step for the company, which is one of the leaders in the end-of-arm tools and grippers for cobots.
Sanding kit made for UR cobots
The Robotiq Sanding Kit (photo, above) is the company’s first application-based package, built as the only hardware and software sanding solution for Universal Robots. The company said the kit increases quality and productivity while saving manufacturers hours of programming. The software’s built-in path generator ensures that “consistent force is applied at each cycle, which makes it easy to automate dirty and tedious finishing tasks,” the company said.
“The introduction of these solutions to the Robotiq product family is built on our expertise from supporting thousands of clients with their automation projects over the past 10 years,” said Jean-Philippe Jobin, CTO and co-founder at Robotiq. “AirPick, EPick and the Robotiq Sanding Kit were all engineered for helping manufacturers start production faster in mind. We wanted to support them in automating their cobot applications by offering solutions that are easy to use, safe, and flexible.”
In addition to showing all three new products at Automate (at booth #7165), Robotiq said it plans to show its complete product lineup of specially designed plug-and-play grippers, force sensors, camera technology, and related software.