Steel Pipe Handling Manipulator

Core Types of Manipulators

Depending on your facility’s workflow, these systems generally fall into three categories:

• Column and Boom Manipulators: Best for welding applications. They hold the welding head or the pipe itself to ensure perfectly consistent seams.

• Hard-Arm Manipulators: Pneumatic or hydraulic arms fixed to a floor pillar or overhead rail. They provide “weightless” movement, allowing an operator to move a 500kg pipe as if it weighed 5kg.

• Mobile Pipe Handlers: Often seen in oil & gas or construction, these are attachments for forklifts or excavators used to move pipes across large yards.

Key Features to Look For

When evaluating a manipulator, the “bells and whistles” actually serve critical safety functions:

1. End Effectors (The “Grip”)

• ID/OD Grippers: Mechanical claws that grab either the inside or outside diameter.

• Vacuum Suction: Ideal for coated pipes where you cannot risk scratching the surface.

• Magnetic Lifters: Great for thick-walled carbon steel, though they require a reliable power backup to prevent drops during outages.

2. Degrees of Freedom

A good manipulator doesn’t just lift; it needs to:

• Pitch: Tilt the pipe up or down.

• Yaw: Swing side to side.

• Roll: Rotate the pipe along its axis (essential for alignment).

3. Safety Interlocks

Quality systems include “Weight Sensing” technology. This prevents the gripper from releasing the pipe until the system detects that the load is safely supported by a rack or floor.