New Scale Robotics introduces NSR-PG-10-20-URe Precision Parallel Gripper for Universal Robots (UR) e Series cobots

June 17, 2019 - New Scale Robotics has released an electric parallel gripper for Universal Robots (UR) e Series cobots. The NSR-PG-10-20-URe Precision Parallel Gripper takes advantage of the e-Series robots’ RS-485 digital communications interface to bring two features to users:

1. Measurement precision of 2.5 µm (0.1 in/1000) when using the gripper’s fingers as an automated gauge for small parts. This is four times better than the original NSR-PG gripper. The e-Series interface allows New Scale to use the full resolution of the gripper’s internal position sensor and pass that information to the UR robot controller.  The measurement data can be used for in-process decisions, for example part sorting or pass/fail inspection. Users can also log the data to a PC for statistical process control. Data logging instructions and example code are available.
    
2. The ability to control multiple grippers on one robot. Communications enable the UR e-Series controller to manage more data in real time. New Scale Robotics takes advantage of this to control multiple grippers on one robot. The company demonstrated three of its NSR-PG-10-20-URe grippers performing a sequence of five tasks on a UR3e cobot at Eastec May 14-16.

The NSR-PG electric gripper is available for UR robots. This allows manufacturers and research labs to deploy cobots in new ways.  Combined with their measurement precision, it makes the grippers suited for automated metrology of small parts, intricate part handling and assembly tasks, and lab automation involving trays of lab ware.