Manipulator Arm

Arm Reach Range For GCI manipulator arms, the working reach range is estimated between 40% and 90% of the total reach. The furthest reach (90%) considers that the arm should not be fully extended to avoid locking it at the articulation joint. The minimum reach (40%) accounts for the space required for the arm to fold up. Arm Vertical Range Vertical travel is estimated at half of the total reach. A 10′ manipulator arm will have approximately 5′ of vertical travel. Any of our carbon fiber arms will be a bit less due to an extension between the articulation joint and the power arm. The maximum vertical travel of an arm system is 6’, even for an arm with 20’ of reach. A stacker-style system can be used for up to 12’ of vertical travel. Specs for Specific Models The reach and vertical range for specific lift assist and torque reaction systems are listed on the product line pages.

GCI does not supply the bolts. Our engineering team recommends either J hook anchors or epoxy/chemical anchors. Mechanical anchors are not recommended as they are more likely to loosen over time.

Carbon fiber is much lighter than steel. Carbon fiber components typically weigh roughly 1/5 of the weight of steel components. GCI utilizes carbon fiber in industrial lift assist and torque reaction solutions. And carbon fiber is just as durable as steel for our applications. While we still need to utilize steel components for the joints and end effector, the overall weight of the moving assembly is about 1/3 the weight of the steel version. This allows our engineering team to design more ergonomic and longer-reach manipulator arms.

A common concern is an accidental release of the product by the operator that results in a safety incident or damage to the part. GCI utilizes a two-handed safety lever to prevent this issue while moving or manipulating a part. Unless both the release (i.e. “no part”) and safety levers are pressed, the end effector will hold onto the part. An additional safety measure is to add a load sensor. This will lock the release action until the part has been placed and the load is no longer on the manipulator arm.

No. While it is common to mount a manipulator arm to the floor for a material handling application, it can also be mounted to a hoist, mobile cart, tabletop, or overhead fixture.

A cable balancer uses suspended cable to lift products/parts up and down. A manipulator uses a rigid steel or carbon fiber arm to support the weight of an application, which provides better control over the part movement and positioning.

Industrial manipulators utilize pneumatic cylinders to energize a rigid arm in order to move, tilt, and/or rotate a product or part to reduce the physical strain and fatigue or a manual process for an operator. The primary goal for these engineered material handling solutions is to improve process safety and reliability.