ADVANCES IN ROBOTICS REDUCES WORKER INJURY

O-Ring Installation Automation Technology Keeps Workers Healthy and Boasts Saving to Companies

AGI, a leading provider of sophisticated automation products, releases new robotic tools that mechanize O-Ring Installation. Two distinct dual motion gripper devices offer means to position and seal O-rings for assembly lines and single station hand assists. The new technology is made available to accommodate a range of placement applications and can be implemented in a wide range of manufacturing industries.

Specialists in ergonomics have found that continued and repeated stress to joints and tendons result in tendonitis, arthritis and carpel tunnel syndrome, among a host of other ailments. Manufacturing firms suffer soaring medical costs and production losses as a result of these repeated-stress injuries. AGI President, Peter Farkas, emphasizes that "one great advantage of implementing O-Ring Installation Assembly Tools is that workers place less stress on their hands." He continues, "for years we have been aware of the advantages of using automated technologies, however, the full benefits of automation have not yet been realized as certain manual operations have proven difficult to eliminate until now. O-ring installation has been one of these. It's really exciting to be able to offer manufacturers new technologies at affordable prices."

AGI's recent and significant investments to their production plant enable them to deliver the O-Ring Placement products to customers with little or no lead time. And they can now offer their world-class automation technologies at even more competitive pricing than previously, making the benefits of automation available to manufacturing plants of all sizes.

AGI's O-Ring-Assembly Tools come in two sizes: the AGP-6-OR (which has six jaws) and the AGP-8-OR (which has eight). These pneumatic grippers can accommodate placement applications from 3 to 12 inch I.D. Both are designed to facilitate part ejection and part seating and are perfect for installations where an ejector is needed after the part is positioned, or when a seal needs to be placed down a long shaft.

Independent piston technology and double-acting spreading jaws enable the pneumatic devices to place very little stress on the O-Rings. The O-Rings, as a result of the octagon–shape they take on, undergo significantly less deformation than they would if applied through alternative means of assembly. Additionally, because the stokes can be adjusted to precise measurements, there is little or no risk of over-expansion.

About AGI: AGI supplies a complete range of sophisticated automation products that include parallel grippers, rotary actuators, thrusters, linear actuator slides, mini slides, tool changers, and overload devices. All products are available in imperial and metric versions for flexibility of design for a world market.

For more information on this product or AGI, call (203) 459-8345 or visit www.agi-automation.com.