Ergonomic Partners

Every facility has a box-stacking job. Not every facility has a tool for it.

We built this custom pneumatic C-Frame box gripper for an electrical component manufacturer. But this application applies anywhere packed boxes are moved by hand, all shift long.

- C-Frame Design: Operator positions the frame over the box, clamps the sides, lifts — full ergonomic posture throughout.
- Linatex Rubber Lining: Protects the box surface and holds grip consistently across varying fill weights.
- Gorbel Easy Arm + G-Force Integration: Operator controls vertical travel and grip/release — the hoist handles the weight.
- Momentary-Release Grip: Box stays secure until the operator chooses to set it down.
- Check Valves: Hold grip pressure if plant air is lost.
- Gripper Safety Circuit: Prevents accidental mid-air release.

See more box handling solutions here: ergonomicpartners.com/pneumatic-and-mechanical-gripper-tools-videos

Radiant heat. Molten blowback. Airborne debris. Hand-held thermal lance operation puts the operator directly in the blast zone.

Ergonomic Partners engineered this custom pneumatic manipulator arm to keep the operator at a safe working distance while maintaining precise lance control throughout demolition operations — cutting through hardened steel and reinforced concrete without putting anyone in harm's way.

- Pneumatic Shaft Clamp: Secures the customer's tool housing and accepts the 35 lb. thermal lance.
- Dual Operator Handles: One on each side of the tool for full directional steering control.
- Lockable Tool Angle Adjust: Knob-controlled lance angle with a positive lock for repeatable positioning.
- Vertical Control: UP/DOWN button operation for precise height adjustment during cuts.
- Forklift-Repositionable Base: The system moves to each new work site as demolition progresses.

See more custom manipulator arm solutions: https://www.ergonomicpartners.com/manipulator-arms-rigid-column-lift-videos

Dropping a circuit breaker mid-transfer isn't a near-miss — it's a scrapped part.

This customer — an electrical component manufacturer — needed a repeatable, controlled transfer. We engineered a custom pneumatic straight transfer gripper integrated with a Gorbel Easy Arm and G-Force hoist.

• Straight Transfer Path: Picks from assembly line fixtures and transfers horizontally into pack-out boxes in a single, controlled motion.
• Gorbel Easy Arm + G-Force Integration: Operator controls vertical travel (up/down) and grip/release — the hoist handles the weight.
• Gripper Safety Circuit: Engineered safety logic prevents unintended release throughout the transfer cycle.
• Check Valve Air Retention: If plant air is lost, check valves hold grip pressure and prevent accidental part drop.
• Multi-Part Grip: Handles both circuit breakers and plugs from the same fixture configuration.

Watch the full demonstration here: https://www.ergonomicpartners.com/pneumatic-and-mechanical-gripper-tools-videos

No jaws. No clamps. Just steel meeting magnet.

We built this custom pneumatic magnet lifter for an agricultural equipment manufacturer moving 72 lb. steel parts.

- Pneumatic Magnet Grippers: Engage and release on command.
- Dual Locator Cylinders: Align to both part versions for consistent positioning.
- 360-Degree Continuous Swivel: Integrated with a Gorbel Easy Arm and G-Force hoist for free movement through the cell.
- Anti-Drop Lock: Magnets lock in place if plant air is lost.

See more custom magnet gripper solutions: https://www.ergonomicpartners.com/magnetic-gripper-tools-videos

Leave the keg lifting contest for the weekends. EP designed this pneumatic tool for a brewery that needed to grip, lift, and rotate four different keg sizes on the production floor.

- Adjustable Grip Jaws: Handles Mini, Quarter Barrel, Half Barrel, and Slim Quarter kegs — no changeover.
- Automatic CoG Shifter: Keeps the keg perfectly level throughout the lift and resets when the load is set down.
- Gripper Safety Circuit: Prevents accidental mid-air release.

Watch the full demo here: https://bit.ly/ep-keg-lifter

Getting the grip right on the first try isn't luck — it's custom-machined alignment.

This lift assist tool handles two different-sized wheel assemblies on the same automotive line. Two dedicated sets of precision guides match each bolt-hole pattern exactly. Jaws out for large. Jaws in for small. Integrated with a Gorbel Easy Arm.

- Reversible Jaws In/Out: One tool switches between outer and inner grip to cover both drum sizes.
- Dedicated Alignment Guides: Two sets, one per bolt pattern — the tool seats correctly on every pick without operator correction.
- Float Mode: Tap to activate, move with one finger — zero strain through the full pick-and-place cycle.
- Gripper Safety Circuit: Power cuts to the handle the moment the part is lifted — mid-air release is not possible.
- 160 lb. Capacity: Custom-engineered and fabricated in-house.

Watch the full demonstration: https://www.ergonomicpartners.com/pneumatic-and-mechanical-gripper-tools-videos

Non-tempered glass doesn't forgive a bad grip.

In automotive assembly, workers were manually positioning large glass panels by hand — fragile material, tight placement tolerances, and real injury risk built into every cycle. We engineered this custom vacuum grip and pitch tool to take that risk off the floor.

- Floating Handle Design: Isolates operator motion from the load, keeping the glass steady while the operator guides it precisely into position.
- Momentary Pitch Control: Tilts the panel to the exact seating angle without repositioning the hoist — one hand, one motion.
- Float Mode: Allows micro-adjustments in any direction for final placement of delicate glass without fighting the system.
- Gripper Safety Circuit: Custom-engineered anti-drop protection prevents the panel from releasing mid-air — even with non-tempered glass this fragile.
- Gorbel Easy Arm Integration: Suspends the tool with full articulating reach, giving operators fatigue-free control across the assembly station.

See the full demonstration here: https://www.ergonomicpartners.com/vacuum-gripper-tools-videos

Loading engines into a skid steer frame is a reach-in job — the engine goes over the top and down into the frame, and the worker needs to hold position precisely during installation. Ergonomic Partners built a custom pneumatic rigid arm manipulator for for a skid steer manufacturer handling exactly this. The arm takes the load completely — the operator guides, not lifts.

Engineered for the application:
Pneumatic Buoyancy: The arm supports the full weight of the engine, leaving the operator with effortless control through the reach-in path.
Joint Parking Brake: Locks arm position the moment the operator releases the handle — keeps the engine stable and in position during installation.
Custom Transfer Hook: Designed around the specific geometry of the skid steer frame, giving the operator clean clearance on the approach without fighting the cutout.

See the full demo here: https://www.ergonomicpartners.com/manipulator-arms-rigid-column-lift-videos

Sack lifting applications are one of the tougher ergonomic challenges on a production floor. The loads are heavy, the shapes are unpredictable, and standard grippers don't cut it.
We developed this custom burlap coffee sack lifter for a customer handling 80 lb. bags of coffee beans. Suspended from a Gorbel Easy Arm, it transforms a back-breaking lift into a controlled, one-operator process.
Engineered for the application:

Stainless Steel Grip Prongs: Secures burlap sacks without damaging the bag — no straps, no rigging.
Articulating Operator Handle: Up/down and grip/release controls in a single ergonomic handle.
Gripper Safety Circuit: Prevents accidental mid-air release — the load stays secure until the operator chooses to set it down.
Zero Bending Required: Operator lifts and positions without stooping, eliminating the strain that adds up over a full shift.

See the full demo here: https://www.ergonomicpartners.com/pneumatic-and-mechanical-gripper-tools-videos #:~:text=BURLAP%20COFFEE%20SACK%20LIFTER