Low-mass, short-stroke and highly repeatable components for grippers, tool changers and linear axes, where every gram on the end effector costs cycle time.
A robot end effector is a mass-constrained design. Every sensor added to the wrist reduces the payload available for the part and increases the inertia the axis has to accelerate. That is why robotics customers specify M8 housings, 2 m cable tails and miniature connectors rather than the M12 parts that would be easier to install.
Our robotics range is built around that constraint: M8 inductive sensors with 1-2 mm sensing distance, micro actuators for gripper jaw adjustment and fine positioning, and drag-chain rated cables tested to 5 million cycles. Where a gripper needs to report its own state, IO-Link versions carry the switching margin and the internal temperature back to the controller.
For tool changers we supply short cable tails with strain relief and connectors rated for high mating cycles, because a tool changer that loses a signal after 10,000 changes is a maintenance problem disguised as a sensor problem.
Application Reality
These are the failure modes we are called in to solve, and the specification change that addresses each one.
An M12 stainless sensor weighs about 40 g; an M8 about 15 g. On a 6-axis arm running at full speed, that difference is measurable in cycle time and motor heating.
Most end-effector failures are conductor breaks near the wrist, not sensor failures. Drag-chain rated cable with the correct bend radius and a proper strain relief solves it.
Changing product format means repositioning jaws. A micro actuator with a closed-loop controller removes the manual setup and makes the changeover part of the recipe.
A connector rated for 100 mating cycles is not suitable for a tool changer that runs 50 changes a day. Specify high-cycle connectors and keep a spare set in the maintenance crib.
A sensor inside a guard is inspected rarely. IO-Link reports the switching margin so degradation is visible before a missed part stops the cell.
Products
DM-CB10-M8-4P
DM-CB05-M12-5P
DM-SC08-IOL-PN
DM-MA25-LIN-80
DM-PM08-WI-2
DM-PX12-4-PNP
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Standards
| Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|
| ISO 10218 / ISO/TS 15066 | Robot and cobot safety integration |
| ISO 9409 (tool flange) | Mechanical interface compatibility |
| IP67 / IP69K | Coolant and washdown protection |
| IO-Link 1.1 | Digital sensor integration |
Application Example
Situation
An appliance plant changed product format four times a day, and each changeover required manual repositioning of gripper jaws with a gauge and a trial part, taking about 25 minutes.
What we changed
We fitted micro linear actuators with closed-loop controllers to the jaw carriages, stored the position for each format as a recipe, and kept an M8 sensor as the home reference.
Result
Changeover dropped to under 4 minutes with no trial part, and the same retrofit was applied to seven cells on the line.
FAQ
You can, but the mass and the cable stiffness work against you. An M8 sensor with a 2 m PUR tail is roughly a third of the mass and flexes more easily at the wrist, which is where cables usually fail.
A drag-chain or torsion-rated PUR cable with the cycle rating matched to the axis. For rotating joints, a torsion-rated cable is required; a standard drag-chain cable will fail in torsion even though it is flexible.
A miniature M8 inductive sensor in the jaw, or a pressure sensor in the gripper air line if the part is pneumatic. The air-line approach adds no mass at all and detects a missing part through the pressure signature.
Yes. Standard brackets for M8, M12 and M18 sensors, plus custom brackets for end effectors from 50 pieces. We can also supply the sensor pre-assembled into a bracket so the wrist installation is a single part number.
Selected models are built with vacuum-compatible lubricant and low-outgassing cable for ISO Class 5 and better. State the cleanroom class and whether the actuator sits in the laminar flow.
Send the application details and get a specification back within one business day.