Tool changer's interface connectors?

[152173]

Dear friends,

I am designing a tailored tool changer for our special assembly robot. Now I am trying to figure out how to deal with leading in electrics through the tool changer interface. For me it seems that companies who manufacture tool change systems produce their own interface connectors.

Please, if you have any thoughts, pass in your suggestions for connectors for automatic tool changers? Or just a clue where to start looking for suitable ones? Connectors should have low insertion force and align easily.

Thanl you!

Best regards,

TS

 

[usaidit]

Not having much information to go on regarding your need, I would offer that you might want to look into mil spec. 5015 cylinderical connectors, they can be hard mpunted, If you want to provide more information I may be of more help

USAIDIT

 

[152173]

Thank you for your reply.

However, the connectors should suit automatic change. That means there should not be any securing threads or alike. In present commercial tool changer solutions only pin heads connect which means low insertion and removal force; these are the kind of connectors I am looking for.

Please, pass on more suggestions.

Thanks!

BR,

TS.

 

[usaidit]

How many leads do you need? How many amps? the connector i refered to can come with or without threads, they slid together with little force and are keyed for alignment. I was segesting a idea to see if it was along the line of what you are looking for. Do you have a design yet?

 

[Boothby171]

Look up the companies:

"Applied Robotics" (518) 384-1000

"SOMMER Automatic" (Stock Drive Products) (516) 328-0200

and

"Robotic Acessories" (513) 667-5705

I haven't updated my contact info in a long time, so the phone numbers may be out of date (and I don't have web addresses for them--but you've got to do some work on this, too, eh? )

 

[Boothby171]

Sommer's "TOOL CHANGERS" can be found at:

http://www.techno-sommer.com/H922/HTML2/H922p401_1.html

Applied Robotics is at:

http://www.arobotics.com/toolchanger.htm

Robotic Accessories is at:

http://www.robotic-accessories.com/Pro_Too.htm

There! Now go build yourself a nice robot!

 

[Boothby171]

And, of course, once I really read your original question...


I had good luck with CONEC for connectors (

http://www.conec.com);

I had to use some pretty butch alignment pins, though.

You might also want to look at HYPERTAC (

http://www.hypertronics.com/hypertac.html).

They are monstrously expensive, but really good. Look around on their web site, they sell modular pins and blocks for tool changer type applications.

 

[152173]

Thanks a lot for everyone who has replied!

At the moment, the ones from Hypertronics seem very suitable. I also found, at least mechanically, very suitable ones from

http://www.idinet.com.

There are several types of spring loaded probes there which are very compact in size and hence could be applied in the most suitable way. Does any one have any experience on EMI with these kind of probes? Is it going to be a problem with signals?

Again, thank you!

BR,

TS

 

[Boothby171]

TS,

I looked at the IDI stuff a while ago. I can't speak as to the EMI with these probes, but I do seem to recall that we rejected thjem in favor of elements that were more of a complete package. We used CONEC--they had some really good plating, and we could mix straight contacts and coax in the same, large D-shell. We just used the connectors without any local alignment pins--we made our own alignment pins (we bought hardened pins and bushings) and let one of the connectors float a little.

Hypertronics had a higher life, but were substantially more expensive; for our purposes, the CONEC were cost-effective.

--Steve

 

[pevey870]

Take a look at ati. I would think they would be everything your looking for. so easy it can be automated.

 

[EEAutomEng]

152173, ATI is a good bet.

http://www.ati-ia.com/robottoolchanger.htm