The new GPP/GPD5000AL grippers from Zimmer extend the product range with two-jaw parallel grippers and three-jaw centric grippers. The special feature of the new GPP/GPD5000AL models is the steel-aluminum profile groove guide that Zimmer now offers. This makes the new grippers particularly interesting for price-conscious customers who do not want to compromise on Zimmer quality. Technically, the GPP/GPD5000AL grippers with their steel-aluminum profile groove guide outperform all T-slot grippers and are at least on a par with grippers with multi-tooth guides in the market environment. With its uncompromising "made in Germany" quality, Zimmer guarantees up to 15 million cycles without maintenance.

In addition to the new variant, the gripper series consists of the GPP/GPD5000 and GPW5000 models, which are pneumatically driven, the pneumatic-electric hybrid grippers GPP/GPD5000IL and a purely electric version, the GEP/GED5000.

Designed for universal use
The 5000 gripper series was designed for genuine universal use and, depending on the variant, has a range of features (speed, high gripping forces, long gripper jaw lengths) and therefore offers the right solution for every application. Depending on the variant, the grippers have a tightness class of IP40 to IP67 and can be interchanged for maximum system availability with maximum precision.

A Zimmer Group GPP5000 gripper in use at a customer. © Room

Zimmer's 5000 series grippers feature a variety of detailed solutions that make daily use easier and often render the use of accessories superfluous. The Zimmer Group relies on newly developed magnetic field sensors that can be inserted from the side. The sensors can therefore be easily replaced without having to dismantle the entire gripper. Another advantage is that they do not protrude beyond the C-slot, i.e. the grippers can be installed flush with each other. The switching properties compared to the previous sensor model are the same. The new sensors are available in 5 meter cable versions with open strand end and 0.3 meter with M8 plug.

All versions of the 5000 series - pneumatic, pneumatic-electric and all-electric grippers - offer higher gripping forces, longer gripper jaw lengths and shorter opening and closing times compared to the competition, depending on the model.

In addition to the control unit and a Hall sensor for gripper jaw monitoring, the electric versions also feature an absolute position measuring system with a high-resolution resolver that permanently determines the position of the gripper jaws. As a result, the gripper control system immediately knows the position of the gripper jaws when it is switched on. The integrated controller also makes it possible to teach the gripper directly or to set the gripping force in five stages via a small control panel on the housing. The grippers are designed for genuine plug & play, the electrical connection is just as simple as pneumatic tubing.

Pneumatic premium grippers
The GPP/GPD5000 version grippers, which have already been launched on the market and recently won the IF and Red Dot Design Award, currently form the premium line with a robust, hard-coated steel-in-steel profile groove guide. They are practically unbeatably robust and have very high gripping forces. The GPP/GPD5000 are also insensitive to overloading. With their specially coated gripper jaws, low coefficient of friction and good emergency running properties, the grippers ensure that they can handle 30 million cycles without maintenance and withstand even adverse operating conditions. Such continuous performance is possible because the gripper jaws are equipped with lubrication pockets for a reliable supply of lubricant and the developers have also used a double wiper to seal the prismatic guides. The outer sealing lip wipes off dirt and dust, while the inner sealing lip ensures that the grease supply is maintained over the entire service life.

With this double seal, these premium grippers have an IP64 tightness class - a value that competitor products can only achieve with additional protectors. With a protector, the tightness of the GPP/GPD5000 can even be increased to IP67, meaning that these grippers can also be used under difficult environmental conditions, such as in machining centers or grinding machines. "Thanks to the resistance of the grippers in adverse environments such as milling, drilling or broaching, both wet and dry, in our machines, we achieve the required process reliability (...). This unique innovation of the 5000 series, and especially the electric versions, take our systems to the next level of quality, especially with regard to lower energy consumption (...)", confirms one customer, Hans-Stefan Csulits, Managing Director of Heitec Auerbach.

IO-Link for flexible control connection
Zimmer uses the user-friendly IO-Link communication system to connect the electrical variants to the central machine control system. The setting data for the grippers can be entered or taught directly here. They can be stored centrally and easily transferred to other grippers. When a gripper is replaced, its data can be transferred quickly and error-free to the new gripper, ensuring maximum machine availability. IO-Link also opens up numerous options for advanced diagnostics and preventive maintenance, so that grippers and other components can be replaced or serviced at the first sign of wear, long before a failure can occur. as