ROBOTS AND AUTOMATION | TECHNOLOGY


market, with their capacity to provide what he calls smarter, more open automation. “Processors like cobots because they can be


tive robots – cobots – which are designed to work alongside humans. Their popularity is steadily expanding – even if one cobot pioneer, Rethink, has disappeared from the scene (its business was picked up last year by Hahn Automation). Oliver Selby, Technical Sales Engineer at Fanuc UK, says that over the past two decades, there has been a step-change in how cobots are implemented – as well as who is implementing them. “Before introducing cobots onto a shop floor, it


is important to check whether existing automation processes are compatible,” he says. “Anything that might present danger to a human, such as moving sharp or heavy objects, would not be suitable for collaborative automation. “There are also additional safety factors to


address during the risk-assessment stage. For example, a process that involves picking something up could cause serious injury if it failed, so a backup system would have to be installed in order to keep parts on the grippers. “However, these should not detract from the many benefits of integrating collaborative robots into your production process. These include a reduced workload, less risk of injury due to repetitive motion or heavy-lifting, increased job satisfaction, better working conditions, and smoother processes.” Another defining feature of working with cobots is the opportunity it presents to “upskill” employ- ees, Selby says. Those working alongside the robots must be trained in safe operation and basic programming, which is often provided by the manufacturer. “This helps to alleviate concerns that a workforce may have over the introduction of automation, which will ultimately lead to a more productive manufacturing process.” Claude Bernard, Product Marketing Director at major independent robot maker Sepro, puts cobots at the top of his list of current trends in the


www.injectionworld.com


very portable and easy to set-up and operate,” he says. “However, they are limited in terms of speed, precision and payload and so the vast majority of plastics moulding applications will still need to rely on fully guarded robots. Cobots will not replace Cartesian and six-axis robots for the unloading of IMMs.” The cobot concept is relevant, the business- model is the right one, says Bernard. “However, after a frenetic start-up phase, there needs to be a period of consolidation during which technology is more closely matched to industrial requirements. We are only at the beginning of this maturity phase. “We believe cobots are relevant because they


make it possible to design safe and open configu- rations for various processes such as peripheral operations or even advanced automation cells. They are portable, easy to deploy and easy to program and test. [But] cobots are limited in terms of speed and payload capacity compared to Cartesian and articulated-arm industrial robots. “The vast majority of plastics moulding applica- tions will need to rely on more conventional robots, but we at Sepro believe there is also room for a collaborative hybrid such as Seprobot, which we introduced at Fakuma 2018.” A typical application would be one in which a human operator occasionally needs to move components or supplies into the robot operating zone or remove finished parts. The package combines a six-axis robot with guarding and what Bernard describes as a fully integrated human safety system. Although the robot operates in a guarded space, operators get safe access for feed-in and feed-out through openings protected by sensors, light curtains, or other safety devices. Most of the time, the robot operates at full speed, slowing down


Left: Sepro showed its collaborative hybrid Seprobot at Fakuma 2018


Seprobot operates autonomously in a semi-open area (centre). Operators have access for feed-in and feed-out


April 2019 | INJECTION WORLD 47


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54