Bilsing Automation Offers Complete Transporting and Gripping Solutions for Hot Forming

At FABTECH 2019 in booth #A1307, Bilsing Automation is highlighting its line of beams, grippers (clamps), vacuum cups and couplings designed to withstand the high temperature environment of hot forming, which is being increasingly used to process today’s lightweight, advanced steels. The Bilsing tooling is modular in design with a standard automatic coupling for mechanical, electrical and pneumatic connections on the tooling. This allows for efficient tool changeover that provides production efficiency and cost reductions.

Bilsing’s aluminum tooling – bayonets, extensions, tubes, couplings – for hot forming is sheathed in temperature resistant materials as are the heads of its carbon fiber (CF) beams. Additionally, the CF beams are manufactured with temperature resistance glue capable of withstanding heat up 700o C (1232o F).

The company offers both clamping and vacuum cup solutions for part-holding in high temp applications. Its PSB-20 pneumatic grippers come with a self-locking feature that ensures higher production safety and can achieve a clamping force of 800 N. Manufactured from high strength aluminum, they have a protective shield that can withstand workpiece temperatures of up to 1000o C (1832 o F) with temperature sensing for in-line process control and calibration. These grippers are available in fixed jaw, block jaw, and L-versions configuration and various connection choices.

The company’s WF2 series of vacuum cups is designed to address part holding for a variety of hot forming applications up to 250o C (482o F). Whereas grippers need to access a part edge, vacuum cups can handle odd-shaped workpieces. The Bilsing vacuum cups are available in all automotive industry mounts and a full range of shapes.