Schunk follows a comprehensive, collaborative technology strategy to enable flexible, future-oriented automation in any environment and at any level of digitalization—today and in the future.
In the Schunk Control Center, users always have full transparency over their process steps. Here, the latest mechatronic Schunk grippers can be digitally commissioned, monitored, and adjusted as needed. The family includes the EZU centric gripper, EGU parallel gripper, and EKG electric gripper for small components. These grippers offer a wide range of communication interfaces, PLC function blocks, and plugins for various robot manufacturers. Additionally, the Control Center provides extended configuration options and regular software updates, enabling users to unlock the grippers’ full potential. This forward-looking platform is set to be gradually expanded to all Schunk products.
More productivity at every level of automation. The new mechatronic gripper generation is fully networkable, offers smart functions, and can be seamlessly integrated into digital plant simulation.
When developing its digital building blocks, Schunk follows an open, user-centric approach. To this end, the company provides open-source software for its new grippers on open platforms such as GitHub and ROS, making it accessible for further development and expanding the range of applications. Significant potential lies not only in industrial robotics, but also in cobots and humanoid robotics, which can be used in various environments. To collaboratively unlock these diverse and complex application areas, Schunk offers its proprietary humanoid SVH 5-finger gripping hand as open-source software and as a digital twin.
The digital factory of the future will be planned and optimized virtually before it takes shape in the real world. Particularly complex systems can be designed and simulated more efficiently in the industrial metaverse, reducing time and effort. To support this, Schunk provides CAD data for all its 13,000 components, gradually refining them into highly realistic digital twins. The latest mechatronic grippers are already available as advanced digital twins, replicating not only communication interfaces but also the physical behavior of the grippers during movement.
Schunk demonstrates what a virtual industrial process could look like at Hanover, using the example of a complete automation cell for battery cell handling in the e-Mobility sector. Developed together with technology partner ISG, the system allows simulation in the ISG Virtuos tool. From there, models can be directly exported to the NVIDIA Omniverse, where Schunk provides not only its component libraries, but also complete assemblies and custom automation solutions to create virtual industrial worlds. Additionally, the AI software for the 2D Grasping Kit, awarded the HERMES award 2024 for handling unsorted parts, is already being trained and further developed in the metaverse.
At Hannover Messe, Schunk demonstrated how a consistent technology strategy across all levels can drive productivity and efficiency. “At Schunk, our customers are at the heart of all our innovations. We enhance physical components with digital solutions to meet customer needs and support efficient automation at every level – compatible with any ecosystem,” said Timo Gessmann, CTO, Schunk.
Exhibitors came together in the project “battery use-case “to demonstrate how automated battery production and sustainable recycling processes can become a reality through collaborative partnerships. Schunk, together with FANUC, presented automated process steps for handling prismatic battery cells during unloading and feeding into a welding system.
