• Innovation Story

    ASS Maschinenbau & Theo Hillers
    Additive Manufacturing of Innovative Lightweight Robotic Hand

    for Existing Linear Handling System

58_time_savings

Integrated construction with reduced complexity and shorter assembly time

53_individual_production

Less wastage in the working process

05_incr_productivity

Low weight through utilization of polyamide and integration of functions

The successful use of the lightweight robotic hand shows that when it comes to special requirements, special solutions are necessary and that these can be realized. With EOS and its innovative systems, we certainly have the right partner.

Reinhold Ziewers | Managing Director | ASS Maschinenbau GmbH

Additively Manufactured Robotic Hand for Pharmaceutical Supplier Theo Hillers GmbH

Theo Hillers GmbH was searching for a solution for the handling of sieves and their sprues (the waste piece on a casting left by the hole through which the mould was filled). The solution was to be docked on a sprue removal device, often known as a sprue picker. For a number of reasons, standardized automation technology had reached its limits. The problems included the continued utilization of the existing sprue picker, the number of small cavities in the tightest of spaces, increased quality requirements, limited space and a maximum weight of the robotic hand of about 500 g.

Known at ASS as PA-Forming, Additive Manufacturing offered the best solution because it allowed for the continued use of the customer‘s existing system. The EOSINT P 390 system from manufacturer EOS was used. 

For the first application, a lightweight robotic hand was produced from polyamide in the form of a star. With the innovatively produced, extremely light and compact robotic hands, the pharmaceutical supplier was able to increase its process reliability and thereby more than compensate for the slightly higher costs of production. 

The Results at a Glance

80 % Weight
In comparison to target weight

This solution, other than the conventional systems from aluminium profiles, has fulfilled both our expectations in terms of handling and our fundamental aim, which was the reduction of wastage.

Tobias Klinkhammer | Manager of Injection Moulding Production | Theo Hillers GmbH
Siemens Turbine Blades | © EOS

3D Printing for
Production and Industy

find out more