2025 Buyer’s Guide: Material Handling Product Releases
New Electric Straddle Lift: Unlimited Stops and Zero Obstructions
Advance Lifts (St. Charles, IL), a leading North American manufacturer of industrial scissor lift tables and dock lifts, offers its new Electric Straddle Lift. It is available with capacities of 2,000 pounds and 4,000 pounds and offers platform sizes ranging from 2’-by-4’-to-4’-by-6’. This range allows the lift to accommodate various load dimensions, making it suitable for different operational needs, including sheet feeding. The lift operates from a lowered height of 5” to a maximum raised height of 48”, providing precise vertical movement and positioning.
Equipped with a programmable logic controller, the Electric Straddle Lift allows users to program the lift for any number of stops with ease. This feature is particularly useful for applications that require materials to be lifted and positioned at multiple heights, such as over and under conveyor systems and sheet feeding operations. The straddle-style design of the lift ensures that there are no obstructions beneath the platform, enabling seamless integration into conveyor systems or environments that require under-platform clearance or low platform heights.
Innovative, Redesigned Magnetic Conveyor
Jorgensen Conveyor and Filtration Solutions (Mequon, WI), now a member of the Innovance family of companies, has redesigned its Magnetic Conveyor, a low-maintenance solution that moves ferrous materials such as small chips, fines, small parts and stamping slugs. The redesigned conveyor features a new internal flange configuration for tighter machine fitment and smaller footprint, and tail hubs were replaced by tail shafts.
Featuring a completely enclosed, submersible water-tight construction, the magnetic conveyors use magnets under a heavy-duty stainless-steel slider plate to attract iron particles and then carry them up the incline for discharge. Effective in heavy oil and grease applications, the magnetic conveyors are custom fabricated, safe and maintenance friendly with no moving external parts.
Custom fabrication includes conveyor configuration, leg length, incline angle, chain design and width, drive system components, optional safety equipment and coolant reservoirs. Special designs are available for difficult wet fines applications.
Jorgensen offers its magnetic conveyors in four design configurations with a choice of either rare earth or ceramic magnets and a wide range of electrical and control options, including UVS-Ecologic® Controls that save energy, decrease conveyor wear and reduce coolant carryout.
High-performance, Eco-friendly Forklifts
Toyota Material Handling (Columbus, IN) offers two new products: the Integrated Mid & Large Electric Pneumatic Forklifts, and a refreshed Core Electric Forklift series. The models offer operational efficiency and enhance environmental sustainability, reinforcing Toyota’s commitment to its Vision 2030 goal to become a carbon-neutral company.
The Integrated Mid & Large Electric Pneumatic Forklifts meet heavy-duty applications, particularly in outdoor environments to transport heavy loads. With load capacities ranging from 8,000 pounds-to-17,500 pounds, this series is ideal for a variety of applications, and each model is equipped with an integrated lithium-ion battery and powered by a Toyota-designed electric drive system.
Toyota’s enhanced version of its Core Electric Forklift is designed for a broad range of indoor applications, with a focus on speed, efficiency and operator comfort. The upgraded forklift offers increased runtime and 34 customizable options. It supports load capacities of 3,000 pounds-to-6,500 pounds.
Magnetic Grippers Handle Perforated Sheet Metal and Laser Cut Workpieces
Piab (Hingham, MA) announces the addition of magnetic grippers to its product lineup, which are designed to support various automotive applications, particularly in areas such as stamping and body-in-white. The magnets enhance the handling and assembly processes by providing reliable and efficient solutions for gripping and moving metal parts. This is especially beneficial in scenarios where traditional vacuum solutions encounter difficulties, such as with perforated surfaces or intricately laser-cut workpieces, where vacuum cups may have trouble maintaining a seal.
The Piab Magnetic Gripper (PMG) series consists of pneumatically operated magnetic grippers that use permanent magnets to safely grab workpieces. The grippers are activated and deactivated by compressed air. The series is available in sizes PMG20, PMG30 and PMG40, each with specific mounting options. All sizes come with a friction ring for safer handling of oily sheets.
Concentric Adaptive Gripper Solution for a Range of Applications
Robotiq’s (Lévis, QC, Canada) Hand-E C10 Gripper is ideal for tight spaces and industrial environments. It is versatile with easily changeable fingertips and unlimited grasp options, and it is plug and play for simple programming. The Hand-E C10 is a concentric adaptive gripper solution for manufacturers in high-mix, low-volume environments. Its 40 mm parallel stroke makes it ideal for assembly tasks, while its sealed design ensures reliability in the toughest manufacturing conditions — including humidity and dust (IP67 compliant).
Among its range of applications is a wide stroke and high payload for small to large parts. It uses a dual-gripper configuration to reduce cycle times. Fingertip kits and finger customization handle simple to complex shapes. And the gripper can handle fast pick and place tasks to dirty machine-tending and precise assembly tasks, among other applications. A quick-start kit allows for a five-minute installation and is compatible with Universal Robots and OMRON products.
Automation Solution Streamlines Machine Tending
Lyndex-Nikken’s (Mundelein, IL) EZ-Automation solutions for machine shops include the EZ-AutoCart to automate CNC machining tending of CNC lathes, mills and similar machines. It enables machine shops to streamline machine tending with minimal effort, and no-code automation empowers manufacturers to easily operate it. Results include significantly boosting spindle time and enhancing overall machine efficiency.
The EZ-AutoCart’s integration capabilities include 16 digital I/O to control peripheral devices; the ability to manage auto doors open/close and workholding open/close, and monitoring CNC machine conditions. Vision capabilities include an integrated camera for 2/3D vision and optional software for 2.5D picking. The EZ-AutoCart has a payload of 18 kg., a reach of 1,300 mm and a maximum joint speed of 435°/s, and repeatability of +/-0.025 mm.
Loader Paired with Turning Center Delivers Multi-tasking Productivity
Mazak Corp.’s (Florence, KY) new Ez Loader 20 was paired with the QUICK TURN 250MSY Turning Center for automated DONE IN ONE® processing of small to medium-sized parts at IMTS 2024. Mazak automation is the key to overcoming shortages in skilled labor and keeping up with ever increasing production demands. For those reasons, Mazak developed the Ez Loader stand-alone, plug-and-play cobot that uses a pallet, a programmable logic controller and all necessary equipment for hassle-free machine integration.
Mazak’s Ez Loaders include a robot arm, a vision sensor and dedicated software, and are compatible with small and medium-sized multi-tasking machines, CNC turning centers and vertical machining centers. The maximum workpiece weight is 10 kg.
New Hydraulic Flipper for Faster, Safer Handling of Heavy Parts
Teqram’s (Zwolle, Netherlands) EasyFlipper is a groundbreaking tool designed to simplify the flipping of large, heavy plates and parts. With the ability to handle up to 5 metric tons per unit, the EasyFlipper offers a faster and safer solution for rotating heavy components. Its modular design is highly scalable. A combination of 20 EasyFlippers can flip parts weighing 100 metric tons.
Traditional methods of flipping heavy parts rely on forklifts, cranes, and various tools, making the process slow, labor intensive and risky. The EasyFlipper automates this task, cutting down safety risks.
Operating the EasyFlipper is simple: place the part on the table, press the start and safety buttons, and let the machine do the work. With dual direction flipping, the EasyFlipper adapts to any orientation for smooth and reliable performance. The EasyFlipper pneumatic flips up to 1,650 lbs. in under 10 seconds, while the new hydraulic model handles up to 11,000 lbs. in less than 45 seconds — far surpassing traditional methods in speed and efficiency.
The EasyFlipper is designed with flexibility in mind. Modular extension arms allow for handling larger parts, and multiple units can be linked to accommodate long parts. Its mobility ensures easy integration into various production processes. A robust steel frame and heavy-duty components ensure low maintenance costs and many years of dependable performance.
The EasyFlipper’s versatility makes it ideal for various tasks, including flipping plates or stacks for cutting or quality control, handling plasma or oxyfuel cut parts for deslagging and grinding, and flipping parts during milling, deburring or press brake operations.
Fast Loading Automation System for Efficient Sheet Metal Handling
The Bystronic Inc. (Hoffman Estates, IL) ByLoader Flex 3015 allows shops to further simplify their fiber laser cutting operations. From material pallet(s) located beside the shuttle table, the ByLoader Flex allows you to quickly load the raw material onto the shuttle table and then unload the cut sheet onto the unload pallet(s). This optimizes the loading and unloading process — automatically, quickly and reliably. Depending on the layout configuration, the ByLoader Flex can utilize a combination from two to five pallet positions.
Each suction cup of the loading automation system can be activated independently. This reduces the energy consumption of the automated loading processes. In addition, it enables the handling of sub-sheet formats. The integrated double fork unloading system enables the ByLoader Flex to unload the cut parts and material onto an unload pallet location. This enables a quick transition for the ByLoader Flex to load subsequent raw materials to be processed.
Thanks to an integrated control, the ByLoader Flex system is controlled using the operator terminal of a Bystronic laser cutting system, resulting in all controls on a single touch screen.
