Two new pneumatically operated power clamps have now joined the Ganter product group “Tensioning with clamping mechanisms”, which is home to everything you might need for fixing in place, locking, positioning and – of course – clamping. For fully automatic operation there is the new GN 8620 power clamp, followed by GN 8621, which has an additional hand lever for manual operation, making it suitable for partially automated processes as well. Otherwise both variants are practically identical: Externally, they feature typical fastening and connection points, while internally they both have a pneumatic cylinder with compact elliptical cylinder cross-section operating at pressures between 2 and 8 bar.

High holding capacities are ensured via the toggle lever principle. In the cylinder end position, the clamping arm is at the dead point, where it remains until the cylinder or hand lever is operated. Even when the system loses pressure, the parts remain securely fixed in place. This state can be manually released with the release button, causing the piston rod to move back past the dead point. The kinematic principle enables agile clamping arm movements, shortening cycle times while ensuring a gentle, damped approach to both clamping arm end points regardless of whether mechanically or pneumatically driven. The opening angle is infinitely variable between 0 and 135 degrees. Making this individual adjustment is as easy turning the hex head adjusting screw. Sensor-based detection of the end positions eliminates the need for mechanical re-adjustment – another enormous advantage when adapting the power clamps to changing requirements. The clamping arms are mounted to the square shaft ends and can be fitted in any of four positions, 90° apart.

Model GN 8621 has an additional hand lever, which takes over driving of the clamping arm mechanism when the pneumatic system is deactivated. This feature is useful for partially automated processes. In this case, clamping is generally managed manually while opening is driven pneumatically. This enables precise step-by-step locking of large mechanisms or the realization of processes that will eventually run fully automatically – in which case the hand lever can also be removed if necessary.

The aluminum housings of both GN 8620 and GN 8621 completely enclose the lifetime-lubricated mechanism, protecting it from dirt. Ganter offers both models in three sizes, with clamping forces from 530 to 2,700 N and holding capacities between 800 and 10,410 N. Compressed air connections are conveniently located on the front and back, and the sensor plug including cable can be swiveled by 90 degrees to save space. Because the power clamps utilize established hole patterns and can be positioned via slotted holes or parallel keys, it is easy to upgrade existing jigs and fixtures with the new power clamps. The sensor corresponds to protection rating IP68; higher protection ratings or explosion protection can be individually implemented.

More information on Ganter standard parts can be found on the internet at ganternorm.com