Retrieval system for removing articles formed by a manufacturing apparatus

A retrieval system for rapidly removing articles from a plastic molding machine or other manufacturing process includes a pair of lightweight carbon fiber tubes arranged for telescoping motion into and out of an open mold. The telescoping tubes are driven by a low inertial cable drive system. A high volume, low pressure vacuum is supplied to the telescoping tubes and, in turn, to a set of receivers mounted on the pair of telescoping tubes to rapidly draw molded articles from the mold as they are conventionally ejected therefrom. A differential vacuum sensing system provides confirmation that all of the molded articles have been drawn from the mold by the receivers. Withdrawal of the pair of telescoping tubes, with the molded articles just retrieved, from the open mold is then initiated simultaneously with initiation of closure of the mold in preparation for a new molding cycle.