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This section provides an overview for air gripppers as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 13 air grippper manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked air grippper companies as of December, 2024: 1.AirTAC USA Corp., 2.KOGANEI International America, Inc., 3.DESTACO, A Dover Company.
Table of Contents
An air gripper is a mechanical device used to hold the inner surface of a workpiece. It operates by expanding a hollow, cylindrical piece of rubber into a doughnut shape when air is injected into it, creating friction to hold the item. Similarly, a gripper that holds the outer surface of a workpiece using this principle is also referred to as an air gripper.
With a broad range of applicable inner diameters (e.g., φ16~21), a single air gripper can handle multiple types of workpieces. Materials used include chloroprene rubber, with silicone as an option for high-heat resistance applications or in the food industry.
Air grippers are utilized in the transportation of objects like glass bottles, PET bottles, cans, and printer drums, which can only be handled from the inside. They are also employed in air leak testing for automotive components such as fuel tanks and mufflers, as well as in pumps.
These grippers are advantageous in handling and transporting rolled products like saran wrap, thanks to their ability to grip workpieces of varying diameters with a single size. They are widely used in the end-effectors of industrial and cooperative robots, particularly for gripping the insides of objects.
The silicone variant is chemically stable, exhibiting low temperature dependence and excellent resistance to extreme temperatures. It's commonly used in the transportation of sensitive materials such as food and garments.
Air grippers can grip and release workpieces weighing up to 70 times their own weight. This is achieved by rapidly and reliably injecting and exhausting air, without damaging the workpiece's surface.
The concentric expansion of the rubber component accommodates workpieces of various diameters using a single size. This versatility reduces the time spent on changing chucks.
However, care is necessary as the rubber can crack or leak over time due to wear or exposure to harsh conditions. Regular checks are needed to avoid damage from sharp objects, UV deterioration, or environmental mismatches.
When dealing with workpieces with low friction coefficients, surfaces covered in substances like oil or water, or shapes prone to slipping, a sufficient safety factor is crucial due to the reliance on friction for holding. The clamping force can be adjusted for fragile parts using an air regulator.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Bimba Ltd., first founded in 1957 and acquired by IMI plc in 2019, is a manufacturer of motion control components. The company's products include four main categories of actuators that include pneumatic, hydraulic, electric, vacuum, and other developing actuator technologies. In simple terms, the company's products are engineered devices that produce the force to make something move, including factory machinery and robots used for painting in automotive plants. The company also offers two types of customized services: one that includes the modification of its existing components and the other that includes full design, engineering, and production.
PHD Inc. was founded in 1957 and is a manufacturer of automation solutions based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States. The company manufactures various automation system products such as tri-axis tooling, rotary actuators, linear slides, blow molding, and tie rod cylinders. The products have been applied in various industries such as material handling equipment, stretch blow molding, aluminum, glass, and medical. The company has obtained the certificate of ISO 9001:2015 and complied to REACH and RoHS standards.
AirTAC USA Corp., founded in 1988 and located in Taipei, Taiwan, is a supplier and manufacturer of transmission equipment. The company’s broad range of products includes control components, actuators, fittings and tubing, guides, and preparation units. These products are used for regulating the flow of air, converting energy into motion, transporting compressed air or fluids, and ensuring accurate and repeatable positioning. The company’s products serve diverse industrial applications, enabling precise control, motion, and fluid handling in pneumatic systems, automation, and industrial machinery.
KOGANEI International America, Inc., founded in 2011 and based in Fremont, California, is a manufacturer of industrial machines. The company sells pneumatic system products, industrial robots, electric actuators, centralized lubrication equipment, static electricity removing units, sensors, switches, vacuum equipment, and hygiene/environment related products. KOGANEI can help in selecting the parts that fit customer needs from more than 512,000 standard products, or it will work with the client to provide a solution that will enhance a machine’s performance and functionality.
Festo Corp., originally established in 1925 in Germany, has offices worldwide and is a manufacturer and direct supplier of automation solutions for OEMs. The company produces and sells pneumatic and electrical control systems, drive technology for factories, and process automation. Examples include fittings, actuators, sensors, vacuum technology, pneumatic power modules, electrical control technology, integrated systems, and accessories. They have also expanded into robot control systems. Their custom services include the design, engineering, and production of partial and complete automation control process lines for OEM clients.
American Grippers Inc. is a manufacturer of various type of industrial actuators and grippers to work with industrial robots. The company was founded in 1997 and is based in Trumbull, United States. The company comprehensive portfolio includes various types of gripper such as pneumatic grippers, linear actuators, pneumatic rotary actuators, collision sensors, multi-motion actuators, robotic tool changers etc. The company products are comprehensively used in robots for packaging, assembly, loading and unloading. The company pledged to excellence is exemplified through customer-centric approach, continuous innovation, and diligence to delivering tailor-made solutions.
DESTACO, a Dover Company was founded in 1915, is a global manufacturer of automation, workholding, and containment solutions, headquartered in the United States. The company's product portfolio includes clamps, grippers, end effectors, and robotic tool changers. They are a worldwide supplier in the design, manufacture and support of clamping, gripping, linear/rotary transferring and robotic tooling solutions for workplace and flexible automation needs. Their customer base covers a wide range of industries requiring a global customer service network offering consistent solutions and program support.
Universal Power Conversion, Inc. founded in Savage, Minnesota, USA, in 1981, is a distributor of of hydraulic and pneumatic components. The company’s product portfolio includes pneumatic cylinders, valves, feeder bowls, touchscreen panels, and precision orifices. Its DEL DOT pneumatic control systems are approved by the Department of Transportation for commercial motor vehicles. It represents Air Logic, CKD, and Alkon. In 2018 the company was certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration and NWBOC.
SMC corporation was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. SMC Corporation manufactures and sells automatic control equipment and filtration equipment. SMC has production facilities in 30 countries, technical development centers in Japan, the United States, Europe, and China, and sales offices, globally. SMC product lines divided by them include filter replacements, condensation prevention, heat resistance, thermos-chilling, and others. SMC provides a video library as well as product selection guide to assist customers in finding solutions and optimizing product efficiency.
SMC Corporation of America, established in 1977 and located in Noblesville, Indiana, is a manufacturer of pneumatic equipment and motion control products used in the automation, controls, and process industries. It is the North American subsidiary of Japan’s SMC Corporation, and it offers a broad range of products, including actuators, directional control valves, and airline equipment. The company is ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certified and has an education division that teaches technical skills and the latest developments in industrial automation. It also runs a sales development program for training outside sales at the company.
Tameson was founded in 2013, in Eindhoven, the Netherlands as an online-based supplier and distributor of industrial products. The company offers a wide range of products, including valves, tubes and hoses, fittings, electrical accessories, and hydraulics. There are also Office supplies such as memory cards, cables, etc. along with measuring and controlling devices like thermometers, gauges, levels, and more. Industries such as Home and Garden, Food and Beverage, Automotive, HVAC, and Industrial Automation, amongst others, benefit from the products distributed by Tameson.
Ranking as of December 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | KOGANEI International America, Inc. |
25.0%
|
| 2 | DESTACO, A Dover Company |
20.0%
|
| 3 | AirTAC USA Corp. |
15.0%
|
| 4 | American Grippers Inc |
10.0%
|
| 5 | Tameson |
10.0%
|
| 6 | Festo |
10.0%
|
| 7 | SMC Corporation. |
10.0%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the air grippper page as of December 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
United States of America
|
8 | 66.7% |
|
Japan
|
1 | 8.3% |
Taiwan
|
1 | 8.3% |
India
|
1 | 8.3% |
|
Netherlands
|
1 | 8.3% |
