ADHESO

With the ADHESO gripping technology, SCHUNK was inspired by nature. By applying to its systems the adhesive forces that geckos use to move with ease on the smoothest surfaces. The bionic-inspired ADHESO gripping technique is based on the principle of adhesion which uses the active intermolecular forces of Van der Waals for manipulation. The patented surface architecture is composed of special polymers and optimized by digital simulation. The structure is gently pressed to the part during the gripping process, which increases the contact surface, and van der Waals forces can begin to act. This effect can be reversed by applying a slight pressure/rotation movement so that the gripper can detach without leaving any residue on the object to be handled. The advantage is obvious: Components can be gripped sensitively and without leaving any residue or requiring additional energy. Even very small objects, plastic films, paper or even glass can be handled. This new technology makes it possible to develop applications in many industries, including medical and pharmaceutical, electrical

The part can be gripped and held without any external power supply, which offers two advantages to the user: the installation and commissioning efforts are low and the operation saves energy costs because no compressed air, vacuum or electricity is not required. Another advantage: the gripper works without any mechanical force, thanks to the adhesive forces, sensitive parts such as glass bottles or plastic sheets can be handled gently without leaving residues. ADHESO having no moving parts, there are no particle emissions during gripping. This technology is suitable for clean environments such as vacuum or clean rooms. In addition, the same adhesive gripper can handle a wide range of different parts. ADHESO is also suitable for gripping porous surfaces, such as perforated electronic cards, where current technologies reach their limits