FlexiBowl
FLEXIBLE PARTS FEEDING SYSTEM
FlexiBowl® is an innovative device to feed bulk components. It does not work with vibration, but through the combined actuation of servomotor and impulse generator to singulate parts. Unlike vibratory feeders, Flexibowl products can feed entire families of parts without requiring any extensive downtime or retooling costs for product changeovers: since product changes can be made in a matter of seconds. Each size bowl is capable of working with any robot or vision system, keeping integration and deployment quick & simple!
FlexiBowl Product Solutions
FlexiBowl® 200 is a compact solution, ideal for tiny components. It’s simple mechanical construction makes the system very reliable and efficient.
- Ideal for 1-10mm Components
- Backlight Area: 90cm2, 180 x 90.5mm
- Footprint: 254 x 470mm
- Max Payload 1kg
- Recommended Bulkfeeder: 5/10L
Flexibowl 350 is the step up in size from the 200 for industrial parts feeding applications on parts from 1-20mm. Like all Flexibowl feeders, the Flexibowl 350 easily integrates with any robots and vision system around for simple deployment.
- Ideal for 1-20mm Components
- Backlight Area: 166cm2, 111 x 230mm
- Footprint: 447mm Diameter
- Max Payload 3kg
- Recommended Bulkfeeder: 5/10L
The lack of dedicated tooling and Flexibowl 500’s easy to use and intuitive programming software allows quick product changeovers inside the same work shift. New parts teaching and production changeovers can be made in a matter of minutes.
- Ideal for 5-50mm Components
- Backlight Area: 513cm2, 334 x 167mm
- Footprint: 629mm Diameter
- Max Payload 7kg
- Recommended Bulkfeeder: 10/20L
The use of FDA compliant materials and wide variety of rotary disc styles make each bowl size equipped to handle any size, shape, or material product in any industry - including medical & pharmaceutical.
- Ideal for 20-110mm Components
- Backlight Area: 922cm2, 404 x 250mm
- Footprint: 788mm Diameter
- Max Payload 7kg
- Recommended Bulkfeeder: 20/40L
FlexiBowl 800 is the largest diameter size feeder on the Flexbowl family, capable of feeding the parts 60-250mm long. All Flexibowl products are suitable to smoothly handle variation in parts size & shape. The wide-open feeding area and the bulk feeder design is free from mechanical tooling that helps prevent parts from getting stuck or jammed like conventional feeding systems.
- Ideal for 60-250mm Components
- Backlight Area: 1125cm2, 404 x 325mm
- Footprint: 941mm Diameter
- Max Payload 7kg
- Recommended Bulkfeeder: 20/40L
Ars bulk feeders are provided with different tank volumes: 1.5lt, 5lt, 10lt, 20lt, 40lt, according to the application requirements related to the system productivity. They are activated by a vibrating linear base and are perfectly matched with the different size FlexiBowl® systems.
There are a variety of accessories available to tailor the FlexiBowl parts feeder to your specific application needs.
- Backlight – Available in IR, Red, or White
- Top Light – Available in IR, Red, or White
- Air Blow – Moves the tiniest components away from the unit’s edge
- Standard, Brush, or Wedge Diverter - Redirects the components from the unit’s edge
- Quick Emptying – For Fast Product Changeovers
- Multiple Parts Feeding - Simultaneous feeding of different components
- Round Edge Disc - Available in various colors, textures, degrees of surface adhesion
- Custom Grooved Disc - Available upon request
FlexiBowl Tools & Downloads
How does FlexiBowl work?
The working principle is very simple and straightforward: the bulk feeder releases and lets the parts fall onto the FlexiBowl® surface and they are effectively separated by the combination of bidirectional rotation and the impulse generator. Once the parts are singulated, the camera recognizes them and sends the coordinates to the robot for the pick-up.
The communication with the robot controller and vision system is achieved by sending simple commands through the available communications ports: Ethernet (TCP/IP, UDP/IP), Ethernet/IP, digital I/O.
The flex feeder routine includes 3 different activities:
- Dropping refers to the action of the bulk feeder
- Separating refers to the action of the flexible feeder
- Picking refers to the action of the robot
In the FlexiBowl, the disc is split into three functional sectors:
- Dropping;
- Separating;
- Picking.
By splitting and confining every single phase of the process in a dedicated sector, dropping, separating and picking take place at the same time. This process usually lasts 0.5 seconds, which is a benchmark in the flexible feeding market.
FlexiBowl Application Videos & Case Studies
Mecademic/FleixBowl Integration
FlexiBowl 200: Small Parts & Changeover
Sample Application: Multiple Parts
Sample Application: Electronics
Sample Application: Cosmetics
Compatible With
Robotics:
Vision:
FlexiBowl® is an innovative flexible parts feeder that is compatible with every robot and vision system. Entire families of parts within 1-250 mm and 1-250 g can be handled by a single FlexiBowl®, replacing a whole set of vibrating bowl feeders. Its lack of dedicated tooling and its easy-to-use and intuitive programming allows quick and multiple product changeovers inside the same work shift.
Contact Gibson Engineering to test out your part feeding or material handling applications today!