As the global manufacturing industry enters a new stage of high-quality development, industrial automation is accelerating its transformation from “single-point automation” to “full-process flexible intelligence”.
In core industries such as automobile manufacturing, machining, 3C electronics, and new energy, robots have become standard equipment for production lines. However, the traditional fixed configuration model of “one machine, one claw” severely restricts equipment utilization and production flexibility.
As the core hub connecting robots and work tools, the technological integration of quick-change devices and two-finger parallel electric claws is building a new flexible robot working ecosystem, bringing an efficiency revolution to core scenarios such as robot handling, loading and unloading, and precision assembly, and becoming a key tool for enterprise automation upgrades, cost reduction and efficiency improvement.
The core value of industrial automation is to replace labor with equipment and optimize the production process to achieve efficiency improvement, cost reduction and stable quality.
However, in actual production, most enterprises’ industrial robots have the problem of “idle capacity and single function”: a robot is often only responsible for a single process and a single workpiece, and the comprehensive utilization rate of the equipment is less than 50%.
The core reason for this problem is that the replacement of traditional end effectors is complex, time-consuming, and difficult to guarantee accuracy. Replacing the fixture requires manual removal of screws, insertion and removal of tracheal wires, and recalibration of coordinates, which takes more than 30 minutes. Frequent replacement can easily lead to interface wear and reduced accuracy.
In the multi-variety and variable-volume production mode, this mode leads to a large amount of equipment on standby, slow production line rhythm, and high production costs.
The core solution to solve the pain points of this industry is to build a flexible operating system of “robot + quick change device + multi-specification electric claw”.
As a leading brand of domestic high-end end effectors, WOMMER has created an industry-leading combination solution of quick change device and two-finger parallel electric claw with “fast switching, precise docking, and intelligent collaboration” as its core.
This solution uses a quick-change device to achieve a fast, accurate, and reliable connection between the end of the robot and the electric claw, allowing a single robot to have the ability to “change claws in one second and perform multi-functional operations.” It can seamlessly switch between different processes, different workpieces, and different scenarios, completely unleashing the potential of the robot, increasing the equipment utilization rate from 50% to more than 95%, and pushing industrial automation into a new era of flexible operations.
The quick-change device is the “core joint” of the flexible operating system, and its performance directly determines the system’s switching efficiency, positioning accuracy and operational stability.
The Worm quick-change device adopts an innovative passive mechanical self-locking structure, which can achieve reliable locking without external power. The locking force reaches 6000N, ensuring that the connection will not loosen or fall off under high-speed, heavy-load, and impact conditions.
The positioning system adopts high-precision dual positioning of cone surface and end surface, combined with precision grinding positioning pins, with a repeatable positioning accuracy of ±0.02mm, and zero deviation from the operating reference after switching.
The interface adopts an integrated design of gas and electricity, with built-in 8 gas circuits, 12 circuits and signal channels. It supports the synchronous transmission of compressed air, vacuum, electricity and bus signals without the need for additional transfer modules. It is compact in structure and easy to install.
The product is made of aviation aluminum alloy and has a topologically optimized structure. It weighs only 300g – 800g. It is 50% lighter than traditional quick-change plates, effectively reducing robot load consumption and improving dynamic performance.
As the “smart hand” of the flexible operating system, the two-finger parallel electric claw is the core execution component for the robot to complete actions such as grabbing, handling, and assembly.
Worm’s two-finger parallel electric gripper is deeply optimized for industrial scenarios and has three core advantages: first, high-precision control, built-in 23-bit magnetic encoder and servo closed-loop system, position accuracy ±0.01mm, force control accuracy 0.1N, which can accurately grasp small parts and stably clamp heavy workpieces; second, wide range of adaptation, clamping force 5N – 500N, stroke 10mm – 150mm, full coverage, adaptable to 0.1kg –
10kg of various regular workpieces, made of metal, plastic, glass, rubber, etc.; third, high-speed response, with an opening and closing time of 0.15 seconds – 0.3 seconds, supporting high-tempo operations of 120 times/minute, and the efficiency far exceeds that of pneumatic grippers.
Whether it is efficient grabbing for robot handling, fast picking and placing of loading and unloading materials, or precise operation of precision assembly, the electric claw can be stably and competent.
In robot handling scenarios, the Worm quick-change device + electric claw combination demonstrates the ultimate in flexible adaptability.
In the auto parts manufacturing workshop, the production line needs to process dozens of parts such as engine blocks, gearbox casings, crankshafts, and bearings at the same time. The weights range from 1kg to 10kg, and the shapes and materials vary greatly.
The traditional solution requires multiple robots to correspond to different workpieces, resulting in high equipment investment costs and large floor space.
After adopting Worm’s flexible solution, a single robot can be equipped with 4 to 6 sets of two-finger parallel electric claws of different specifications through the quick-change device: electric claws with large clamping force and long stroke for grabbing heavy cylinders; miniature precision electric claws for grabbing small bearings; and electric claws with anti-slip soft claws for grabbing smooth shells.
The system automatically switches electric grippers according to the production plan, completes model change in 1 to 3 seconds, and handles the transportation of multiple types of parts 24 hours a day. Equipment investment is reduced by 60%, transportation efficiency is increased by 50%, and labor costs are reduced by 80%.
Machining loading and unloading is a typical application scenario of the quick-change device + electric claw solution, and it is also a key link in improving the efficiency of the production line.
In the loading and unloading of CNC machining centers, CNC lathes, grinders and other equipment, workpiece specifications are frequently changed, the working conditions are complex (oil pollution, dust, high temperature), and the cycle time requirements are high.
Worm’s two-finger parallel electric claw adopts IP65 protection design and can operate stably for a long time in harsh environments; the quick-change device supports automatic claw change without manual intervention.
When the workpiece is changed, the robot control system automatically triggers the quick-change command, completes the electric claw switch within 1.5 seconds, and immediately adapts to the new workpiece grabbing and loading and unloading.
Compared with traditional manual claw changing, the production line changeover time is shortened from 40 minutes to 2 seconds, the equipment standby time is reduced by 90%, and the production capacity is increased by 40%, which can save hundreds of thousands of yuan in labor and standby costs for enterprises every year.
Precision assembly scenarios place extremely high requirements on the accuracy and stability of the quick-change device + electric claw combination.
In the new energy battery PACK assembly line, multiple processes such as cell grabbing, stacking, tab correction, and cover assembly need to be completed. Each process has different requirements for grabbing force and position accuracy.
The Worm flexible system uses a quick-change device to quickly switch between special electric claws for battery cells: special electric claws for battery cells (with soft anti-slip claws to prevent the battery cells from being pinched); micro force-controlled electric claws for pole lug correction; and high-precision parallel electric claws for cover plate assembly.
The positioning accuracy of each electric claw is consistent after switching, ensuring the continuity and accuracy stability of the assembly process. The battery PACK assembly pass rate reaches 99.95%, the production line efficiency is increased by 60%, and the defective rate is reduced by 90%.
Long-term durability and ease of maintenance are core assessment indicators for industrial equipment.
The core components of the Worm quick-change device and electric claw are made of imported wear-resistant materials. After 10 million fatigue tests and 5,000 hours of environmental aging tests, they can operate stably for more than 5 years in harsh environments such as the temperature range from -10°C to 60°C, oil pollution, dust, and humidity of 90%.
The quick-change device adopts a purely mechanical structure without seals and pneumatic components, with no leakage or wearing parts, and the annual maintenance cost is almost zero; the electric claw adopts a fully enclosed design, and the internal transmission parts do not need lubrication. The appearance only needs to be cleaned daily, and the maintenance workload is reduced by 90%.
Compared with traditional pneumatic clamping jaws and quick-change discs, the whole life cycle cost of Worm’s solution is reduced by more than 50%.
Intelligence is the core feature of flexible operating systems.
Worm quick-change devices and electric grippers support bus communication and intelligent control, and can be seamlessly connected with robot controllers and MES systems.
The system has an automatic identification function that can identify the currently connected electric claw model, parameters, and status, and automatically loads the corresponding operating program to achieve “plug and play”; it supports remote monitoring and debugging, and engineers can remotely adjust electric claw parameters, diagnose faults, and upgrade programs; it has data collection and analysis functions, recording electric claw operation times, clamping force, accuracy and other data, providing data support for production line optimization and predictive maintenance.
In the era of Industry 4.0, intelligent manufacturing, and digital twins, flexibility, intelligence, and digitalization have become inevitable trends in the development of manufacturing.
The combination of the WOMMER quick-change device and the two-finger parallel electric gripper builds a flexible working ecosystem for industrial robots with the core advantages of fast switching, high precision, high stability, and high adaptability, and provides efficient, reliable, and economical solutions for enterprise automation upgrades.
As a representative of domestic high-end equipment, Worm is gradually breaking the monopoly of foreign brands in the field of high-end end effectors by virtue of its advantages of independent technology, reliable quality and perfect services, helping China’s manufacturing industry to reduce automation costs and enhance global competitiveness.
In the future, as industrial robots develop toward collaboration, lightweight, and intelligence, Worm will continue to innovate end-execution technology, launch more miniaturized, lighter, and more intelligent quick-change devices and electric claw products, and promote the penetration of flexible work technology into more industries and more scenarios.
From automobile manufacturing to 3C electronics, from new energy to precision machinery, Worm uses technological innovation to drive the industrial automation efficiency revolution, helping more companies build flexible, intelligent, and efficient factories of the future.
