Piab Components Used in Somtech Visors Protecting Against COVID-19

Somtech Technologies SL in Valencia, Spain, recently changed production of their visors from 3D printing to injection molding using a robotic gripper made with parts from Spanish company Piab.

The visors help protect people from the coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19.

The change to an injection-molding process was only possible by installing an automated removal system with a suitable gripper attached to a robot. After setting up the injection-molding equipment, Somtech needed components for the robotic gripper. The only company able to match their urgent request with the right parts was another Spanish company, Piab. The fast delivery allows Somtech to produce 56,000 visors a week.

Somtech is one of the companies in battling COVID-19 in Spain. The company changed its product focus from the automotive, rail and packaging industries to producing visors. To keep up with requirements, production technology was shifted from 3D printing to injection molding to meet an ever-increasing demand for the newly developed visors. Normally used in motorcycle helmets, visors now shield people from the virus when moving about outside their homes.

“Within 48 hours, the Piab components reached our factory allowing us to immediately ramp up the process and start high volume production of the visors,” Mariano Sebastiá Ramirez, COO of Somtech Technologies said in the release.

Piab offers low-maintenance and durable high-end gripper systems for precise transfers and processes. Piab’s components are equipped with vacuum-based automation solutions for gripping and moving a wide variety of products. Their products are used in the automotive and food industries, metalworking and plastic injection molding.

For more information, visit www.piab.com/en-US.