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FAULHABER Drive Systems

Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders' Association (TMBA)

Four tubes are to be simultaneously machined

As soon as the doors of the machining center open, every second counts. The large Yaskawa 6-axis robot therefore quickly moves into the working area of the machine, removes two of the four machined tubes with its double gripper, and places them on an intermediate storage. There, it picks up two unfinished parts, inserts them into the machine, removes the last machined pair from the machine in the same process, and loads the machine with the second pair of unfinished parts - but then quickly out of the machine, close the door, and continue with the machining of four tubes in one setup.

Only after the loading and unloading process is completed, it becomes clear why the Motoman GP50 from Yaskawa is equipped with another single gripper. This is because the tubes arrive at the machine in tightly packed plastic blister packs, which do not allow for the simultaneous removal of two tubes with the double gripper. Since Watts has sufficient time during the machine's main time, they let the GP50 singularize the tubes part by part onto an intermediate storage area at a double gripper-friendly distance. From there, the robotic 6-axis arm can comfortably handle the tubes in pairs, which significantly reduces the loading and unloading time at the machine.

Prefer to program robots for this task than teach them

Tube blanks in various lengths from 120 to 750 millimeters, in two different diameters, and optionally in brass or stainless steel, are currently pushing the number of variants at Watts well over 50. To avoid the large effort involved in teaching the numerous variants, a purely mathematically built program is used. The operator himself inputs only certain parameters for new variants. These include, for example, the tube length and the hole spacing - the program does the rest. One of the main goals of the automation is to achieve as high autonomy as possible, short setup times, and as much flexibility as possible. According to Watts, the concept of the system, which works from a raw part to a finished part trolley - the change of the respective workpiece carriers is carried out by the Motoman GP50 using a special function of its double gripper - is ideal for its own needs. The flexibility of the machining centers, combined with the variability of robot-assisted automation, now enables the absolutely economical production of many variants and relatively small batch sizes.

Assistance in selecting the right robot system

In deciding on the right robot, Watts relied on the competence of the plant builder EGS Automation, which ultimately led to the decision for the Motoman GP50 from Yaskawa. The six-axis robot system offers enough reserves in terms of payload and reach to be prepared for future applications. In addition, the waterproof wrist ensures 100% fail-safe operation, which is guaranteed even with intensive contact with coolant. The sixth axis is also kept so slim that Watts can handle even the cramped space conditions in the working space of the machining machine. But there was another problem to solve ...