Advertsiement Feature Cover Story Connectivity in robotics
This article looks at ways in which new developments in interconnection technology are enabling manufacturers of industrial robots to enhance the performance and energy efficiency of their products. By Kevin Canham of HARTING
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anufacturers of industrial robots are using innovative technology in the robot-sup- ported automation of indus- trial production processes (Fig 1). This process is resulting in continual opti- misation of solutions in the areas of efficiency, precision and energy use. The new trends in energy efficiency issues are a key driver in the applica- tion of new interconnection solutions. This aspiration to become more energy efficient is having a consider- able effect on the development of robot technology. Products of the future will have to be economical and particularly low in carbon emissions. The fact that considerable quantities of energy are being consumed in pro- duction, releasing emissions in the process, is appearing increasingly on the radar of a wider public. September 2011 therefore saw the European Commission, in the Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe, call for measures to broaden the responsibility of manufacturers to the entire life cycle of their products. The energy-efficient design of robot mechanics and the selection of mate- rials used have a bearing in many dif- ferent ways on energy efficiency and the ecological balance of the entire system. For example, manufacturers are reducing the dead weight of the robot mechanics by specific selection of the materials used in line with eco- logical compatibility and by replacing aluminium alloys with a poor CO2 balance with innovative steel spher- oidal cast iron (enabling considerably thinner wall thicknesses). The result- ing lower mass in motion requires less energy. High-quality gear mecha- nisms with very low friction loss, and the use of energy-efficient motors, guarantee consumption-optimised operation over the very long service life of the system.
New drive technologies with auto- matic and energy-optimised calibra- tion of converters and motors are now being used to guarantees opti-
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mum consumption when using the robot system for all motion sequences. Together with energy- optimised route planning, and new consumption-optimised motion com- mands, these developments allow energy consumption in motion to be reduced by up to 30 per cent com- pared to earlier generations of robots.
Connectivity trends
Developments in miniaturisation, selection of raw materials and modu- larity/flexibility are also becoming more and more important in connec- tor technologies. In the light of the ERP directives from Brussels for energy-efficient, resource-saving product design, connector manufac- turers are also paying particular attention to the CO2 footprint in material selection and in the choice of raw materials. As a major supplier to manufacturers of robot systems, HARTING attaches great importance to the sustainability, and therefore the environmental compatibility, of their connector products. In particular, HARTING has collab- orated with a major robot manufac- turer to address the integration of a compact plug connector into the robot mechanics. The result is a multi-function connector that fully replaces the large junction box previ- ously used. A further development
Fig 1. Energy efficiency is a key driver in the
application of new interconnection solutions in industrial robots
was the integration of cables for CAT 5 data transmission with existing connector sizes.
The space requirement for the con- nectors required for robot operation was successfully minimised so that more room is now available for the customer interface.
Beyond just the robot, new joint solutions have arisen for applica- tions such as hose packages for auto- motive body shells, which are now fully fitted with HARTING infra- structure solutions. ‘Plug & play’ is a key element offering customer bene- fits here in terms of installation, assembly and service.
The requirement to swap out the cables, including connectors, in hose packages quickly and without remov- ing the connectors benefits end-users. Also, in the customisation of hose packages, there is no need to fit the connectors after feeding in the cable. This not only represents an enormous saving in preparation time, but also the pre-inspected cables simplify final acceptance.
Fig 2. HARTING’s industrial Ethernet switches allow different fieldbus communication profiles to be supported
The latest generation of industrial robots offer the benefits of small size and light weight along with simplicity and flexibility. In addition, they incor- porate a number of innovations in terms of sensor systems and control technology. These trends present a number of challenges in terms of con- nectivity solutions, which need to be compact and relatively simple despite the added complexity.
Given the small space available for connectors on these compact robots, a compact, customer-friendly interface on the robot base has to be imple- mented. Previously, the need to cater for a number of different electrical con- nections and parameters meant that large connectors were required, but this is not possible on the smaller robots. The HARTING Technology Group has carried out a great deal of work on these challenges, including extensive verifi- cation testing in the company’s test lab- oratory, with the result that it is now
FEBRUARY 2013 Automation
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