Festo Introduces HPSX Universal Adaptive Gripper: Hygienic Soft Gripper for Food, Pharma and Cosmetics

Festo has introduced the HPSX universal adaptive gripper, a hygienic soft gripper engineered to handle delicate, irregularly shaped, and hygienically sensitive products. Gripper fingers are produced from soft silicone-based material, making them ideal for moving items that are easily damaged. HPSX can perform multiple picks per second.

The design of this pneumatic gripper represents a significant advancement over traditional, rigid gripping solutions and addresses long-standing challenges in automating tasks in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries, where product damage is a concern. The gripper withstands acceleration up to 15 g-force while holding up to 0.5 kg.

Hygienic Design

The HPSX is highly corrosion resistant and features a sanitary design that makes it easy to clean and maintain. It has a high-pressure washdown rating of IP69K, which ensures it meets food safety regulations and cleanliness standards. The materials used are food grade and metal detectable.

The HPSX all-in-one gripper handles a wide variety of different shapes and sizes without requiring a tool change, which is an important benefit for applications such as kitting in the cosmetics industry, where a single gripper may need to pick up multiple different products. The HPSX is available in three sizes — 40 mm, 70 mm, and 100 mm — and in two-, three-, and four-finger designs. Nine different forms widen its application range. HPSX features a universal ISO50 fitting for robotic end-of-arm tooling.

Performance Optimization

Festo research and development focused on refining the gripper’s shape, dimensions, and internal geometry to maximize gripping force and minimize air volume for faster picking. The material’s consistency was carefully chosen to be soft enough to prevent damage but firm enough to grasp objects and move with sufficient acceleration.

System Compatibility

The HPSX works seamlessly with Festo’s other automation components, such as controllers, valves, and pneumatic systems. This can significantly reduce the time and effort required for installation and programming as the OEM doesn’t have to worry about compatibility issues among products from different vendors.

Having a single point of contact for all automation needs simplifies troubleshooting, maintenance, and support. This major benefit for OEMs and end users can reduce downtime and streamline their operations. The ISO50 universal fitting makes HPSX accessible to an even wider market, offering a flexible solution that can be easily attached to existing robotic arms.

Visit Festo at www.festo.com for complete specifications and selection guidance.