Posted to News on 24th Oct 2007, 07:18
Automated tools install O-ring seals
AGI is launching an automatic, dual-motion O-ring seal assembly tool. Two sizes are available, one for handling up to 3 inch ID, known as the AGP-6-OR (six-jaw), and a larger unit to handle up to 12 inch ID, the AGP-8-OR (eight-jaw) multi-motion through-hole parallel gripper. Both are designed to facilitate part ejection and part seating. The grippers are suitable for use when an ejector is needed after part placement or when the seal is to be placed down a long shaft.
The AGP-8-OR, a sixteen-jaw O-ring installation gripper, has independent spreading and ejector movements, and features a 1.5 inch diameter through-hole. This pneumatic gripper has two independent pistons; the spreading jaws are double-acting and the other ejector jaws are single-acting. When air pressure is applied to the first piston, eight parallel jaws move 0.55 inch each to spread the O-ring into an octagon shape. The octagonally stretched O-ring requires less overall expansion and considerably less deformation during assembly insertion process. The opening stroke can be precisely adjusted using the setscrew so over-expansion is avoided.
After the O-ring is expanded and over the part, air pressure is applied to the second piston. This causes the ejector jaws to advance 0.5 inch and push off the O-ring from the spreading jaws and onto the part being assembled or installed.
AGI says its O-ring grippers can be tooled to accommodate all types of rings, the smallest would be the smallest for which tooling jaws can be made to fit the inside diameter and the largest is approximately twelve inch diameter, depending on the cross-section. End-of-stroke sensing is available for both the spreading and ejecting jaws.
The size of the AGP-8-OR unit is 5 inches diameter by 5 inches tall. Spreading jaws have 200 lb force per jaw at 80psi air pressure and ejector jaws have 320 lb at 80psi. The smaller unit (AGP-6-OR) is 2.5 inches diameter by 2.7 inches tall. Spreading jaws have 62 lb force at 80psi and stripping Jaws have 80 lb force at 80psi. Both are available from stock.
2D and 3D CAD files are available via AGI's website at www.agi-automation.com.
