automation | Technology
growth in sales with demand for its 5X five-axis models particularly strong. At the Fakuma show in Germany last October it reported that it expected to sell more than twice as many 5-axis units in 2014 compared to 2013 and nine times as many as in 2012 (when it first introduced the 5X model). Sepro put
Above: With its two-axis Staubli wrist, Sepro’s 7X robot can handle highly sophisticated automation tasks
the spotlight on its new Strong 50 robot on its stand at the Plast 2015 show in Milan in May this year. Intended for machines with clamp forces from 1,000 to 1,600 tonnes, it has a horizontal
stroke of 3,000mm and is part of a new range of universal robots expected to appeal especially to moulders in Asia and other emerging markets. “The Strong line makes three-axis servo speed and
precision available to injection moulders who have applications that require simple pick-and-place functionality and simple downstream operations,” Sepro says. “The design approach and production methods allow Sepro to make an affordable robot with enhanced capabilities.” The full Strong range incudes three models covering
clamp forces from 700 to 2,800 tonnes. The robot is one of three new lines that Sepro offers for plastics injection
moulding machines up to 5,000 tonnes. The other two lines include the three-axis servo S7 and the five-axis 7X (which is similar to the 5X, but larger). “These new large robots complete the transformation of the full Sepro product line, which we began in 2008,” says Jean- Michel Renaudeau, CEO of the Sepro Group. The new large robots improve upon the Sepro G4 Line, which previously covered high-tonnage moulding applications. In general, the new robot offerings have longer kick (Y-axis) strokes, longer vertical (Z-axis) strokes, and can handle larger payloads than their G4 predecessors. Compared to the G4 units, for example, the new S7 models have a standard kick stroke that is increased by 10 to 15% and a vertical stroke increased by 4 to 10%. Payload capacities are up to 50% greater. The 7X is based on the same basic mechanical platform as the S7 3-axis robot, but adds a two-axis servo-driven wrist developed in partnership Stäubli Robotics. The Stäubli wrist is a proven design that has been
standardised and is becoming increasingly affordable, according to Renaudeau, who says customers now look at five-axis robots as a one-time investment that will continue to pay off in added productivity, quality and lower operating costs for years to come. “In fact, many of the 5X Line robots we’ve sold are being used today in applications that could be performed quite easily by one of our three-axis robots. However, these customers are
Automation lifts level sensor output
Engel developed a fully automated high output manufacturing cell comprising a vertical insert moulding machine and four Scara robots for a plastics processor in the Czech Republic making oil level sensors for cars. The company was making 12,000 parts
a week on a single-cavity production system but needed to ramp up output. Each sensor incorporates 12 connecting pins in five different designs, as well as three bushes. All were being manually placed into the mould. Today, the company operates a completely automatic produc- tion cell, installed by Engel, that includes bending and cutting of the pins and loading of all the inserts into a four-cavity mould. The system meets its production needs and has also improved quality. Engel integrated the metal processing equipment, a vertical injection moulding machine with a 1,200mm rotary table, four
32 INJECTION WORLD | July/August 2015
This sensor production system
developed by Engel for an automotive
customer uses four Scara robots
Scara four-axis robots (from Stäubli) that take parts directly from the conveyor belts of the bending and cutting unit, a rotary table for preparing and feeding insert parts, another rotary table with five quality-control stations and a data matrix printer, a camera for monitoring the gripper, and a tray system for discharging finished parts.
Inserts are pre-sorted and picked by the gripper all at one time. Before positioning them, the camera system checks to make sure the set is complete. Fully automated quality control of finished parts, as well as laser labelling, runs in parallel within the 36s cycle. ❙
www.engelglobal.com
www.injectionworld.com
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