Festo OGGB low-contact gripper

The OGGB low-contact gripper from Festo is an alternative to suction cups for handling highly sensitive solar cells and other fragile workpieces. The gripper transports thin, flexible workpieces quietly and economically, but also reliably and quickly, with the help of the Bernoulli principle.

Compressed air is accelerated to supersonic speed through a tiny gap. This produces a powerful vacuum on the underside of the gripper. The Bernoulli suction cup picks the wafer up gently and holds it reliably.

The necessary vacuum can be controlled by means of the operating pressure. The maximum lift height can also be precisely adjusted in this way. This is especially important when handling sensitive workpieces such as solar cells so that the wafers are reliably handled with the same settings at all times. The wafers rest on inserts made from POM, PEEK or stainless steel depending on the application.

A further advantage compared with conventional suction cups is the fact that no dirt (like the silicon dust produced when a wafer breaks) can get into the system. That means that no costly filter systems are required.