I. Rivet Types Suitable for Riveting Machines Most blind and solid rivets can be used with automatic or semi‑automatic riveting machines, provided the rivet geometry is compatible with the feeder and riveting head. Below are the most common types: 1. Blind Rivets (Pop Rivets) These are the most widely used with automatic riveting machines. Rivet Sub‑Type Description Machine Suitability Standard open‑end blind rivets Hollow body with a mandrel; available in aluminum, steel, stainless steel Very good – easy to feed and orient Closed‑end (sealed) blind rivets Sealed body prevents leakage; used in waterproof/ air‑tight applications Good – same geometry as standard Multi‑grip blind rivets A larger grip range covers multiple […]
Parallel robots (also known as delta robots or spider robots) differ from conventional serial robots (such as articulated 6‑axis or SCARA robots) in several fundamental ways. The table below summarizes the key differences. I. Structural Differences Feature Parallel Robot Conventional Serial Robot Basic structure Multiple closed‑loop kinematic chains; all actuators work simultaneously to move a single platform Open kinematic chain; actuators work in sequence from base to end‑effector Arm arrangement Several arms (typically 3 or 4) connect the base platform directly to the moving platform One main arm with links connected end‑to‑end (like a human arm) Motor position All motors are fixed on the base frame Motors are distributed along […]
I. Components of a Parallel Robot A parallel robot (also known as a delta robot or spider robot) consists of the following main components: Component Category Specific Parts Mechanical structure Base frame (static platform), moving platform (end-effector platform), drive arms (active arms), forearm links (passive arms), spherical joints / ball joints, universal joints Drive & actuation Servo motors (one per arm), servo drives / amplifiers, precision reducers / gearboxes (low-backlash, e.g., harmonic or planetary) End-effector / tooling Tool mounting flange, suction cups / vacuum grippers, pneumatic or electric grippers, vacuum generator (venturi), custom fingers / jaws Control & sensing Motion controller (runs inverse kinematics), teach pendant / programming interface, encoders […]
How Should a Vibratory Bowl Be Made for Oily Products? If you must use a vibratory bowl for oily parts, the following design modifications are recommended: 1. Surface Treatment & Materials Measure Purpose PTFE (Teflon) coating Reduces friction and prevents oil from sticking to the track. Stainless steel bowl (SUS304 or SUS316) Resists oil‑related corrosion and is easy to clean. Hydrophilic / oil‑repellent coating Special coatings that repel oil (e.g., oleophobic coatings). Smooth surface finish (polished) Minimizes surface roughness where oil can accumulate. 2. Track & Bowl Geometry Measure Purpose Wider track Reduces clogging from parts sticking together. Steeper incline Helps parts slide rather than stick. Air jet assistance Nozzles […]
A parallel robot (delta robot) is very well suited for handling multiple products, provided the products fall within its payload, size, and speed capabilities. Its flexibility comes from the following features: I. Why Parallel Robots Are Good for Multi-Product Handling Feature Benefit for Multiple Products Vision guidance Can recognize different part shapes, colors, or positions without mechanical changeover. Programmable motion Pick-and-place positions, trajectories, and speeds can be changed via software. Tool changers / interchangeable grippers Allows the robot to handle different part geometries or pick methods (suction, gripping, magnetic). Quick changeover recipes Most modern delta robots store multiple product recipes; changeover is a few button presses or a barcode scan. […]
The main differences between a motor-driven hopper (e.g., a rotary table, screw feeder, or belt hopper) and a linear vibrator hopper (e.g., a vibrating storage hopper or linear feeder hopper) are as follows: Aspect Motor-Driven Hopper Linear Vibrator Hopper Drive Principle Uses a rotary motor (geared, stepper, or servo) to move material, typically via a screw, belt, rotating disc, or agitator. Uses an electromagnetic or piezoelectric vibrator to shake the entire hopper or a linear tray, making material flow by vibration. Material Movement Positive, forced movement (mechanical pushing or rotating). Material moves by bouncing, sliding, or flowing due to vibration, relying on gravity and friction. Suitable Part Types Can handle parts that are sticky, […]
The short answer is: It depends. While a vibratory bowl feeder is typically designed and tooled for a specific part, there are scenarios where one bowl can handle multiple products — but with important limitations. I. General Rule Situation Possibility Difficulty Multiple products with very similar geometry (e.g., screws of same head style but different lengths) ✅ Possible Low to Moderate Multiple products with different shapes (e.g., screws vs. nuts vs. washers) ❌ Generally not possible High Different sizes of the same family (e.g., M3, M4, M5 screws of same type) ✅ Possible with adjustable tooling Moderate Different materials but identical geometry (e.g., steel vs. plastic screw) ⚠️ Maybe; may need different coating or amplitude Moderate […]
The main difference between an elevator (also called a vertical conveyor or bucket elevator) and a standard hopper lies in their function and operating principle. Below is a detailed comparison. I. Core Functional Difference Feature Elevator Standard Hopper Primary function Actively lifts material from a lower level to a higher level Passively stores material and relies on gravity for discharge Material movement Forced upward movement (mechanical or pneumatic) Downward flow by gravity only Power requirement Requires motor or pneumatic power No power required II. Detailed Comparison Aspect Elevator Standard Hopper Operating principle Uses buckets, belts, chains, or screws to lift material Material flows out through an opening at the bottom due to gravity Inlet […]
Sensors play a critical role in automating and stabilizing the operation of a vibratory bowl feeder. Their main functions are as follows: I. Part Presence Detection (Feedback Control) Start/Stop Control Sensor detects when parts are present at the discharge point or linear track. Sends a signal to the controller to stop the bowl (prevents overfeeding). When parts are absent for a set time, the sensor signals the bowl to start again. Downstream Machine Request Sensor at the pickup station detects that a part has been taken (e.g., by a robot or assembly machine). Triggers the bowl to advance the next part into position. II. Part Quality and Orientation Verification Correct Orientation Check Sensor (often a fiber optic or […]
Parallel robots (also known as delta robots or spider robots) can be integrated with a wide variety of machines and equipment to form automated production systems. Below are the main categories of machines they commonly work with: I. Feeding and Parts Presentation Machines Machine Function Vibratory Bowl Feeder Orients and supplies small parts to the robot for picking Centrifugal Feeder Provides continuous, high-speed part supply Linear Feeder Delivers parts in a straight line to a fixed pick position Tray / Magazine Loader Presents parts in organized trays for batch picking Conveyor Belt Brings parts to the robot; often with encoder tracking Elevator / Hopper Supplies bulk parts to the feeding […]
Japanese 
English 
Spanish (Mexico) 
Czech 
Arabic 
Russian 
German 
French 
Turkish 
Italian 
Ukrainian 
Polish 
Romanian 
Bengali 
Portuguese (Portugal) 
Thai 
Korean 
Hebrew 
Uzbek 
Hindi 
Slovak 
Vietnamese 
Portuguese (Brazil) 
Spanish (Peru) 
Spanish (Spain) 
Spanish (Venezuela)