TECHNOLOGY | ROBOTS AND AUTOMATION
Cobots expand In March, Fanuc, one of the world’s biggest suppliers of robotics, extended its range of CRX collaborative robots (cobots) with the CRX-5iA, CRX-20iA/L and CRX-25iA units. It says it now offers the most extensive line-up of easy-to-use cobots available on the market today. The numbers indicate maximum payload. Fanuc offers cobots as a safe, easy-to-use, reliable and a versatile solution for a wide range of applications. No maintenance should be required for up to eight years. Ralf Völlinger, Vice President, General Manager,
Robot Business Division, Fanuc Europe, says: “Equipped with intelligent features such as vision and force sensors, the flexibility of cobots means they can perform tasks like palletising, parts handling, assembly, bin picking and arc welding.” Italian ski goggle producer LEM makes use of
Below: Workers at LEM in Italy working with cobots from Universal Robots
cobots from Universal Robots in three separate processes in its operations. One works with a laser that marks the lenses in an operation that requires very precise positioning (there are actually two identical cells). “We wouldn’t have been able to do this without the cobots,” says Stefano Lodigiani, general manager and co-owner of LEM. “Manually, it is simply impossible to keep a constant distance from the laser focal point, whereas the cobots guarantee the precision and repeatability we need to perform the process impeccably.” In the second process, a cobot applies adhesive to the foam cushioning that is later fitted to the goggle frame. The operation is carried out on a mezzanine floor, so the low weight of the cobot was an extra advantage. In the third process, a cobot works very closely with operatives on injection moulding of the frames. The process is unusual in that the parts are removed from the machine together with the mould insert. The operative separates part from the insert away from the machine. Lodigiani says: “The cobot
Right: Fanuc CRX cobots
improves the ergonomics of the moulding station (the inserts weigh about 1 kg each, so the operator is required to handle about 4 kg of material every 60/70 seconds) and optimises the rate of produc- tion. The cobot ensures that the application proceeds at a constant rate and pressure.” In February, Muller Technology, which special- ises in automation solutions for thin-wall packag- ing, launched an automated six-axis case packer for high-volume production of lid and container packaging. According to Taras Konowal, Muller’s Director of Sales and Marketing for North America, Muller developed the new system after customers, mostly in North America, called for a solution to ongoing problems in finding staff to pack contain- ers and lids manually. Konowal says interest is now picking up in Europe too, mostly in Germany, for the same reason. First installations are currently being implemented. “Applications are mostly for high volume
operations, where you would normally employ at least two people to fill boxes,” says Konowal. “With this solution, you can have one person dedicated to several machines, making and closing the boxes.” Konowal says the six-axis case packer delivers
greater productivity than a cobot case packer launched last year (see Injection World April 2021). “We have found that cobots have more limitations than we expected for this application. They are inherently not as fast as regular robots, and if operatives come into range, not always intentionally, they go into collaborative mode, which is even slower. Employees need to get used to working with cobots, and that is not always easy. The six-axis robot on the other hand is completely guarded. It is one of our most productive systems for high-volume packaging lines.” It can handle up to 64 cavities every 6 s for lids and 5 s cycles for containers. The new case packer can be purchased sepa-
50 INJECTION WORLD | April 2022
www.injectionworld.com
IMAGE: UNIVERSAL ROBOTS
IMAGE: FANUC
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