Tag: robots

Combat Robots & EXAIR – What A Time To Be Alive

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

Last year, EXAIR had the opportunity to sponsor The University of Cincinnati Combat Robotics Club and Teams. I’ve blogged about how I have seen these bots at the Tech Expo, a senior design showcase I volunteer and judge. This group of students ranges from first-year students up to seniors, and they are on a path to winning these competitions. Not just because we sponsor them.

Right now it is a summer session at UC, so the buildings are mostly quiet and the bustle about campus isn’t like a fall day. These 4 students, though, are still pushing through and building, competing, learning, advancing, rebuilding… it goes on and on. They shared the stories behind the bots, some were inherited from past teams, others were fresh designs, and they also shared some thoughts on what they could do for their next fight.

Hearing them talk about these devices they have labored over and listening to their confidence climb when they start rambling off, the velocities the tip of the weapon travels remind me of when I was in a similar position. These students all shared a passion and had similar goals in mind; to be the best team that is in the field. This isn’t just another checkbox for them to complete a grade or a test, it is a vested interest.

This is not far off from most of us here at EXAIR. This place isn’t just a checkbox, it is a vested interest, we want to be good at our jobs and that is why we continue to push to achieve certifications for Application Engineers like CCASS and is also why we continue to attend webinars, take courses, and continue to learn.

If you want to see more of the UC Combat Robots, check them out on Instagram, and make sure to follow the NHRL league for more of their events.

Brian Farno, MBA – CCASS
National Business Development Manager

BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

Help with Choosing an E-Vac Vacuum Generator

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

This is a pretty common question when it comes to Vacuum Generator use in pick-and-place application, and although we can’t boil it down to a simple table & formula based on mass (like we can with the Vacuum Cups themselves,) we can usually hone right in on it, if we have enough details of the situation. And, if questions remain, we can always test one to find out…we’ve got an Efficiency Lab.

That’s what I did, first thing this morning. I had the pleasure of speaking with a robotics instructor at a vocational school yesterday…his class was building a robot to enter in a competition, and one of the operations it needs to accomplish is picking up a golf ball and carrying it a certain distance.  This sounded like a great application for a small E-Vac Vacuum Generator, and, considering the potential leakage at the Vacuum Cup face from the dimples on the golf ball, my first instinct was to consider our Model 810002M E-Vac Low Vacuum (Porous Duty) Generator w/Muffler, and a Model 900766 Bellow Style Vacuum Cup, with a 0.73″ diameter face…our smallest, and ideally sized for a golf ball.  They, however, have a VERY limited supply of compressed air, so the difference between the Model 810002M’s compressed air consumption (2.3 SCFM @80psig) and the Model 800001M E-Vac High Vacuum (Non-Porous Duty) Generator w/Muffler (1.5 SCFM @80psig) was worth considering.  Also, we figured that they might be able to use a Model 900804 Check Valve, so the only time they’d need to supply air was to pick it up, and, possibly intermittently to maintain the vacuum.  So, golf ball in hand, off to the Efficiency Lab I went.  I also took our trusty video camera:

As you can see, it locked on to the golf ball instantly, and the Check Valve allowed the Vacuum Cup to hold the ball for over 13 seconds with no air flow to the E-Vac, proving that there isn’t much leakage at all past those dimples.  I suspect we’ll be seeing this robotics class team in the winner’s circle at the competition.

In most cases, the difference between 1.5 SCFM and 2.3 SCFM consumption may go unnoticed when picking a short-duration pick-and place vacuum generator.  The higher usage product’s supply pressure can always be regulated down to reduce compressed air consumption and use only what’s necessary to do the task…we, in fact, recommend that on ANY compressed air application.  In this case, though, it was worth finding out.

If you have a pick-and-place application that you’d like help with in selecting the right system, give me a call.

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
(513)671-3322 local
(800)923-9247 toll free
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