Festo isn't just one of the world's leading suppliers of automation technology - it is also a global market leader in technical training at various levels. What's more, it is arguably the most innovative company when it comes to putting bionic principles into practice that were previously the stuff of science fiction. All this increasingly benefits laboratory automation, of course. A prime example is the new compact EHMD rotary gripping module, which is ideal for handling particularly small objects. The module reliably opens and closes vials carrying up to 15 millimeters for life science applications and can also be used for gripping and positioning microtiter plates. Festo also suggests applications such as preparing samples, analysis and loading centrifuges. The module can perform rotation and gripping tasks in in-vitro diagnostics, cell and genome research, and quality control in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. Combined with a 3D gantry, it can even be used to carry out pick-and-place functions and quality inspections using cameras, or in combination with a barcode reader or label printer.

The EHMD rotary gripping module comes in two versions - either electrical rotation and gripping or electrical rotation combined with pneumatic gripping. An optional Z module compensates for the thread pitches of the caps by up to 10 millimeters during rotation, thus accelerating the process by doing away with the need for Z-axis movement. The CMMO motor controller from Festo integrates the EHMD rotary gripping module into existing systems, while the Festo Configuration Tool (FCT) simplifies configuration, regardless of whether the positioning or force control mode is selected.

Festo AG & Co. KG (73734 Esslingen, Germany)
Website: www.festo.com