TECHNOLOGY | ROBOTS AND AUTOMATION
Right: ABB’s new High Speed
Alignment software increases robot speed and accuracy
which makes the robot able to undertake more challenging machining assignments. The current Sinumerik CNC can perform all the same functions as Siemens’ previous Run MyRobot variants but allows for more dynamic applications of a robotic arm with more accuracy control and an improved capacity for robot operations to run simultaneously with machining time. Regarding robot developments, Comau launched
the Racer-5 SE high-speed 6-axis articulated robot series designed for harsh environments that come with a high risk of contamination. The compact robot is fitted with stainless steel screws and covers and has a ruggedised, element-resistant shell and a high gloss painted surface. It is IP67 certified in all installation positions and meets ISO 5 cleanroom classification by Fraunhofer for protection from water, peroxide, chlorine, alcohol, chemical agents, and other aggressive cleaning agents. “We expect the adoption of robotics in sensitive
environments to grow significantly in the next coming years, driven largely by increasing automa- tion in fast-growing industries such as food and beverages, pharma, plastics and chemicals and electronics,” says Nicole Clement, Chief Marketing Officer at Comau. The new model is offered in two different 5kg payload configurations, with a reach of either 630 mm or 809 mm.
Below: ABB designed SWIFTI CRB 1300 to be a fast and precise cobot
Advancing alignment ABB introduced a new software technology for its IRB 1100 and IRB 120 line of 6-axis industrial robots that can increase the speed of the robot by 70% and increase its positioning accuracy by 50%. Its new High Speed Alignment software is designed as an automation solution for electronics assembly where quick and accurate alignment, picking or placement of a component or work piece in a tool or fixture is critical. The software uses one or more cameras and a computer vision system to control the position of the robot relative to the workpiece.
The software is compatible with a wide range of
cameras and computer vision systems and has an easy-to-use intuitive interface which can operate on ABB’s IRC5 and OmniCore robot controllers. The auto-calibration and tuning of the software reduces commissioning and deployment time from an entire shift to just one hour, says ABB. The company predicts the global robot market
will grow from $80bn today to $130bn in 2025. It said China, the world’s largest robotics market, accounted for 51% of global robot installations in 2021, surpassing the one-million-mark of opera- tional robots in 2021.
ABB announced it will invest $20m to expand its
robotics headquarters and manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan, US, which will significantly increase its production capacity there and allow the company to better serve the increased demand from growth sectors including electric vehicles, healthcare, packaging, and logistics. The company also opened a new 67,000 m2
robotics production facility incorporating an 8,000 m2
R&D centre in Shanghai, China last December.
The $150m investment in the facility, which replaces a factory at the existing site, will allow for the manufacture of next generation robots co- developed with partners and customers. It says innovations in AI, digitalisation, and software such as autonomous mobility, digital twin, machine vision and low-code programming products will lead to robots that are more intelligent, flexible and easier to use. ABB has expanded its portfolio of collaborative
robots with the launch of its SWIFTI CRB 1300 product line. The new cobot combines the higher payload capacity and speed of an industrial robot with the safety and high productivity requirements of a cobot. The SWIFTI CRB 1300 line is available in three payload variants, of 7 kg, 10 kg and 11 kg and a reach from 900 mm to 1,400 mm. It can be used in a variety of applications from machine tending and palletising to pick-and-place and screwdriving.
20 INJECTION WORLD | April 2023
www.injectionworld.com
IMAGE: ABB
IMAGE: ABB
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