In recent years, technological innovation has become an essential element for success in the bakery market. The most notable change in trends is the decrease in demand for traditional bread, with smaller sizes and different types of bread becoming mainstream. To respond to this trend, Tradicional Panadera has employed Piab's vacuum technology in its production line, enabling the rapid, easy, and safe handling of various types of boxes. The vacuum gripping system used by Tradipan consists of DURAFLEX BX suction cups with different hardness in the lip and body, and a COAX ejector. Both the cups and the ejector are provided by Piab. The gripper is attached to a joint robot located at the final point of the bread and pastry production line, responsible for the final palletizing of the bread after packaging, sending it to the shipping preparation stage. Piab's COAX vacuum generation technology achieves a high initial flow rate for safe and fast gripping while minimizing energy consumption. For more details, visit https://www.piab.com/ja-jp/news/piab3/

Piab continues to evolve by adding a large version to the piCOBOT(R) program. The large version, developed with the needs of customers handling small industrial robots and collaborative robots in mind, balances high lifting capacity with a low installation height, maximizing its capabilities. The piCOBOT(R)L, with a lifting capacity of up to 16 kg, is particularly suitable for applications in e-commerce, logistics, and warehouses, as well as for assisting in lifting heavy objects in manufacturing environments. Like the original version, it is built on a technology platform that includes a vacuum pump unit and an optional gripper unit. The vacuum pump unit is scalable and can accommodate a variety of the latest powerful COAX(R) cartridges. This significantly enhances vacuum performance, enables quick movements when lifting heavy objects, and achieves high productivity in packaging, palletizing, and assembly. For more details, visit: https://www.piab.com/ja-jp/news/-picobotl-/

Officina Meccanica Sestese Co., Ltd. has successfully designed and manufactured an end-of-line packaging machine using Piab's Kenos(R) KVG gripper. This machine has been implemented by a leading furniture parts manufacturer in Southeast Europe. The vertical strapping system from Officina Meccanica Sestese, model "08L," is a machine developed to compress, compact, and stabilize packages of melamine-faced boards. This machine binds packages in several stages with polyester bands that are 16mm wide and 0.8 to 1.0mm thick, enabling automatic packaging. The sizes of the packages handled vary, with heights over 60mm, widths up to 2180mm, and lengths up to 5700mm. For more details, visit https://www.piab.com/ja-jp/news/piab-kenos-kvg/

Cob-Solution has designed and developed a system for Rao Farmaceutici, a Sicilian animal pharmacy investing in e-commerce and conducting sales activities across Europe, to handle the picking and opening of cardboard boxes using Piab's B52XP suction cups and piCOMPACT23 SMART pumps. This system features a double bay design that accommodates various box shapes. Each bay can hold up to 40 sheets of 5mm thick cardboard. It retrieves folded cartons directly from the warehouse, assembles 4 boxes per minute, and performs taping. The gripper, utilizing Piab products, is used in the assembly cycle. The Cob-Solution factory is equipped with remote assistance to reduce on-site interventions and optimize time and resources. For more details, visit: https://www.piab.com/ja-jp/news/piab-vacuum-gripping-solutions-increase-productivity-at-cob-solution-italy/

The "MX Cup" is a suction cup that can support the picking of items made from various materials. For example, it is possible to pick soft and heavy items such as bags containing fresh noodles or shirataki using Piab Japan's suction cup. This series is suitable not only for food factories but also primarily for applications in logistics, warehousing, e-commerce, and the recycling industry. 【Features】 ■ Compatible with a variety of workpieces ■ Excellent grip on diverse surfaces ■ Superior elastic memory, preventing suction marks ■ Significantly reduces the amount of compressed air used *Introducing the "MX Cup" φ25! The best solution for picking In addition to the existing sizes of φ35, φ41, and φ50, we have added the new φ25!

The Wyzo sidebot is designed precisely for the quick and easy handling of small and lightweight tasks, such as those involving food, through collaboration between humans and machines. With a maximum payload of 1 kg, the weight of the gripper used in combination becomes important. Therefore, the extremely lightweight Piab MCG, weighing only 270 g, is the optimal product for this combination. Additionally, it excels in versatility and energy efficiency. Automation is advancing in industries such as food, packaging, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and electronics. Many workers in these industries work close to machines, and due to safety reasons, industrial robots cannot be used, while collaborative robots may lack the performance needed for repetitive high-speed pick-and-place tasks. To bridge this gap, a Swiss company has developed the Wyzo sidebot, which combines the advantages of traditional delta robots with those of collaborative robots. This sidebot is ideal for applications that require extremely clean environments, like those mentioned above, thanks to its gearless and oil-free motor. For more details, visit: https://www.piab.com/ja-jp/news/wyzo/

Safe&Light is a foam vacuum gripper that incorporates a Venturi generator. Designed around a foam body, it allows for safe operation around people and is extremely lightweight thanks to its carbon fiber skeleton. Two standard sizes and three types of technology are available to handle products that completely cover the gripper, products smaller than the gripper, multiple products, and even open-top containers. All versions of Safe&Light integrate the new EasyFoam technology without the use of adhesives, streamlining maintenance and foam replacement.

Regarding the gripper for collaborative robots, being compact is one of its advantages. Weighing only 270g, the MCG is an extremely lightweight gripper for collaborative robots. This gripper can lift parts weighing up to 5kg and can flexibly accommodate a wide variety of suction units. Thanks to its high flexibility and performance, the MCG can handle a diverse range of workpieces, whether they are in boxes made of paper or plastic, in bags, or loose, from boxes of tablets to tubes of toothpaste. Customer Benefits: - The lightweight design of the gripper maximizes the payload capacity of collaborative robots, allowing for the use of smaller-sized collaborative robots. - The variety of gripper plates provides flexibility for use in diverse applications. - The plug-and-play design of the Quick-Click tool changer enables rapid switching of grippers, contributing to reduced downtime. For more information, visit: https://www.piab.com/ja-jp/news/mini-cobotmcg-/

CPT is a smart and compact gripper for collaborative robots that enables the handling of more work. Its multi-zone gripper surface allows for multiple pickings of boxes with different shapes within the same cycle. Additionally, the lightweight body improves throughput per picking. Furthermore, by incorporating the piSMART(R) valve unit, it maximizes the necessary operational speed. By picking and transporting multiple cartons at once, and due to the lightweight nature of the gripper, the burden on the collaborative robot arm is significantly reduced, which contributes to extending the lifespan of the collaborative robot. Customer Benefits: ■ A flexible picking zone that can handle multiple cartons increases the number of pallets transported per day. ■ Reducing the number of pickings and using a lightweight gripper can extend the lifespan of the collaborative robot. ■ Saving on tool costs by using a single type of EOAT. For more details, visit: https://www.piab.com/ja-jp/news/piabcpt1/

Handling eggs requires securely gripping them to prevent dropping, which has made it difficult to speed up automated transport. However, Piab's new product, the Egg Cup, addresses this challenge by enabling faster processes while saving energy. Piab's new ECX36 Egg Suction Cup features a design that balances body stability with low vacuum transport, allowing for easy control of workpiece release. As a result, the risk of damaging eggs during the process is significantly reduced, enabling faster egg handling. Key benefits for customers: ■ The design offers excellent stability, accommodating high-speed applications. ■ It requires a low vacuum level for workpiece transport, achieving an energy-efficient process. ■ It is easy to clean on-site and remains durable even with detergent and ultrasonic cleaning. For more information, visit: https://www.piab.com/ja-jp/news/piab-ecx36-/

With three new attachment options, Piab offers further possibilities for EOAT design aimed at building optimal handling system solutions. These options include an angle adapter, a locking ball joint, and an extension kit. Using the stainless steel angle adapter, multiple suction cups can be connected in series. The integrated M8 3/8” male thread makes it easy to install suction cups onto metal rails or profiles, facilitating their connection to the vacuum system. The locking ball joint (also made of stainless steel) allows for angle adjustments of the suction cup on the fixture. By adjusting the angle of the suction cup to be parallel to the work surface, lifting performance is improved. Two sizes of locking ball joints are available. For more details, visit here: https://www.piab.com/ja-jp/news/piab2/

Piab is constantly optimizing its product lineup by adding new products to provide vacuum technology for niche applications. Recently, Piab developed a suction cup that can handle surfaces with rough textures. The new P series suction cups are particularly suitable for handling workpieces with strong structures and uneven surfaces, such as stone tiles, wood, and checker plates. The fittings are made of aluminum, and an elongated sealing rubber made of EPDM is installed to conform to the contour of the fitting. The rubber can be easily replaced even after wear. This expands the possibilities for adapting to work surfaces that were previously not considered for vacuum suction handling. The "P series" suction cups are available in three sizes: 35 mm, 60 mm, and 100 mm, with one type of fitting provided for each size. For more details, visit https://www.piab.com/ja-jp/news/piabp/

The Bellows Polyurethane Suction Cup Series has newly added sizes of 150 mm and 200 mm in diameter, further expanding its range of applications. The short bellows type Bellows Polyurethane (BP) suction cup is suitable for handling workpieces of varying heights with a single lifting device. This is an important feature when handling wooden components for furniture manufacturing. You can choose between a version where the entire suction cup is made of rubber hardness 60, and a version where the bellows part is hardness 60 and the lip part is hardness 30. The version with a hardness 60 bellows and a hardness 30 lip is ideal for handling rough surfaces of unprocessed wood or structured surfaces. On the other hand, the hardness 60/60 version is best suited for handling smooth, leak-free flat surfaces such as glass, metal sheets, or wooden panels of painted or coated furniture.

A comprehensive approach to automation requires a network, not just the simple connection of individual components. For true innovation to emerge, partnerships for development must be established. This is the only way to make the final product more than just a collection of parts. With this goal in mind, a new comprehensive concept for production assembly called SINA was created through the collaboration of Ecosphere Automation, EFFIMAT, MIR (Mobile Industrial Robots), Piab, robominds, ROEQ, Sick, and Universal Robots (UR). The production of complex products requires a continuous supply of numerous individual components in the appropriate quantities at the workstation. This applies whether it is fully automated or manual. Storage space is often limited, and employees may also need to move to other departments. For more information, visit: https://www.piab.com/ja-jp/news/reinventing-intralogistics/

The separation of samples is a regular task carried out while conducting research in a chemistry laboratory. By using Piab's Lab Vac vacuum pump, an energy and cost-efficient, reliable process can be achieved with a standard compressed air system. In separation, rotary evaporation, vacuum filtration, gas release, and gel drying serve as common methods to separate reaction products from liquid solvents or gases, with vacuum technology playing a crucial role in these methods. Hydraulic suction is a simple technology with low initial costs but high operational costs, and its biggest drawback is the poor quality of the vacuum. Additionally, the increasing number of regions with dry seasons and little rainfall raises concerns about the sustainability of using water as a power source for suction, as this can have serious implications for water supply. This suggests that public water rates may rise, further increasing operational costs.

By using Piab's Kenos(R) area gripper, the time required for the palletizing process of food cans and beverage cans can be significantly reduced. With Piab's Kenos(R) vacuum gripper, palletizing robots can accommodate a variety of workpieces. The Kenos foam gripper can handle multiple workpieces at once, including food cans, beverage cans, sugar packets, and unpackaged food, and can also perform the action of placing sheets between layers of products. It is capable of handling workpieces of various sizes and weights. The Kenos(R) gripper has a wide suction area, allowing for high-speed palletizing even if there is some misalignment in the placement of the workpieces. Therefore, it is a relatively simple solution compared to grippers that use suction cups. For more details, visit here: https://www.piab.com/ja-jp/news/quick-to-market-with-new-canned-products-thanks-to-efficient-palletizing-solutions-from-piab/

Tecno Pack SpA has designed and developed an efficient gripper capable of handling pick-and-place applications in the factories of international leading confectionery manufacturers, using Piab's piGRIP(R) suction cups and piCOMPACT(R)23 SMART vacuum pumps. Tecno Pack's packaging line performs "primary packaging," which involves picking biscuits and packing them into flow packs, and "secondary packaging," which involves packing flow packs into cardboard boxes. This process is characterized by the variety of flow pack types used for the biscuits and the different carton sizes depending on the size of the flow packs. Piab's solutions are utilized in the "secondary packaging" phase. To accommodate these tasks, a robotic station equipped with four flex picker robots has been installed at Tecno Pack's factory.

For the cosmetics industry, packaging each product to suit a wide range of channel partners—from the vast sales floors of department stores to flagship stores and small cosmetic shops—is never an easy task. Currently, this process is typically done manually, with workers picking each product by hand and packing them into specific boxes. While there is significant potential for automation in this task, it also presents challenges. This is because achieving a worthwhile investment requires extremely high flexibility. Piab's UR plus certified Kenos(R) KCS gripper addresses this challenge for cosmetics industry customers who need solutions to provide a variety of packaging methods tailored to numerous small products for different delivery destinations. For more details, visit: https://www.piab.com/ja-jp/news/choosing-right-cobot-gripper-cosmetics-handling/

dm is currently the largest drugstore in Europe. The distribution center located in Weilerswist, Germany, began operations in 2009. Here, an average of 3,500 pallets loaded with goods are shipped daily. Many of the goods stacked on the pallets are depalletized by machines using Piab's DURAFLEX(R) suction cup "BX52P" and transported to the order picking chain. The suction cups are very robust, enabling high-speed cycles to securely hold the workpieces. For more details, visit https://www.piab.com/ja-jp/news/dm-drugstore-distribution-center-relies-piab-suction-cups/

We are proud to introduce the piSOFTGRIP(R) 100-4, a large soft gripper specially developed by Piab for automation in the food industry. It can also be used for handling machine parts with special shapes and for extracting injection-molded parts. The piSOFTGRIP(R) 100-4 is the largest size in the series. The series also includes the piSOFTGRIP(R) 50-3 and 30-3, which are three-finger types ideal for picking small fruits and candies, and the piSOFTGRIP(R) 50-2, a two-finger type suitable for picking small, elongated workpieces like waffle cones and fish fillets. The piSOFTGRIP(R) can be used not only for picking individual workpieces but also for applications that require grasping multiple workpieces at once. For more details, visit: https://www.piab.com/ja-jp/news/pisoftgrip-100-4-piab-launching-largest-gripper-of-series/

Features of the KENOS Form Gripper * Fully customizable * Energy efficient * Easy maintenance * Adaptable to various workpieces * Compatible with robots and various transport devices * Please see the attached materials.