Pneumatic Grip Accessories and Foot Switches

Switches, regulators and air supply for pneumatic grips

A pneumatic grip is only as convenient, and as safe, as the way it is controlled. The UGC-PG-060 range covers everything between the air line and the grip: foot pedals and hand switches to open and close the jaws, regulators to set clamping force, a quiet compressor for labs without shop air, a pressure booster for high-force grips, high-temperature tubing for chamber work, and a two-stage safety system that protects fingers during loading. Everything here works with the grips on our pneumatic grips page.

Foot pedals and hand switches

Foot pedals come as a pair, one per grip, and leave both hands free to position the specimen. Non-locking pedals hold the jaws open only while the pedal is pressed, which suits single-action grips. Locking pedals toggle: press once to open, again to close. A 5/2-valve pedal version serves double-action grips that have no return spring. Pedals are rated to 10 bar (145 psi). For higher pressures, the hand switch unit with locking function is rated to 16 bar (232 psi), and pairs of micro hand switches with M5 or 1/8 in connections mount directly on the grip body so the control sits right next to the jaws. Switches ship with their tubes and fittings.

Setting the clamping force

Clamping force on a pneumatic grip follows supply pressure, so the regulator is the real force control. The manual pressure regulator adjusts from 1 to 16 bar. The analog regulator takes a 0–10 V signal that corresponds to 0–10 bar, so clamping pressure can be changed during the test, for example a gentle initial clamp on a soft specimen followed by a firmer hold.

Air supply and tubing

• Silent compressor: max. 16 bar, 17 l/min (about 0.6 cfm), 3.5 l tank, 38 dB(A), 230 V/50 Hz, approx. 18 kg (40 lb)

• Pressure booster: soundproofed piston pump that raises supply pressure at a 1:4 ratio up to 28 bar (406 psi), for grips that need more clamping than shop air provides

• High-temperature tubing: 3 mm Teflon tube rated to 250–280 °C for running air lines into a temperature chamber

Two-stage safety system

The safety system combines two foot pedals, two hand buttons and an electric control box (220 V, 10 bar). In step one, the foot pedals close the grips at low pressure, roughly 0.5 to 2 bar depending on the grip: enough to hold the specimen, too little to trap a finger with full force. In step two, the operator presses both hand buttons within 0.5 s, and only then does pressure rise to 7 bar (102 psi) for testing. Touching either button afterward drops the pressure back to the low level. It is a practical safeguard for high-force grips and for labs where several operators share a frame on our universal testing machines.

Tell us which grips you run, whether they are single- or double-action, their air connection (M5 or 1/8 in) and your available supply, and we will match the switches and regulator. Request a quote.