Page 36 - Plastics News September 2019

FEATURES

‡ 0DLQWHQDQFH OLIH 6L[ D[LV URERWV DUH VHDOHG ZLWK the cobot’s work area without opening safety gates,
reduced maintenance, and increased uptime. Most disabling alarms, etc. (Note, however, that while
Cartesian robots in injection molding require regular the robots themselves may be designed with sensors
maintenance, as their drive trains are exposed. and speed and torque limitations to make them safe

‡ )OH[LEOH PRXQWLQJ RSWLRQV 0DQ\ VL[ D[LV URERWV FDQ EH around humans, their end-of-arm tooling, or the parts
mounted in various orientations to optimize layout, they are handling, could present hazards without
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other options are available for wall or ceiling safely in close proximity to operators, other cobots
mounting. For most six-axis robots, the mounting and machinery. Maximizing the interaction between
RULHQWDWLRQ LV À[HG DQG PXVW EH VHW DW WKH IDFWRU\ skilled operators and cobots can be more productive
during the robot build. Other models allow orientation than using either robots or human operators alone.
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‡ /RZ RYHUKHDG FOHDUDQFH &DUWHVLDQ URERWV KDYH program, cobots are often treated as a manufacturing
a major drawback—the vertical (Z) axis extends tool, moved from machine to machine as the
DERYH WKH URERW FHQWHUOLQH :LWKRXW D FRPSOLFDWHG production mix and schedule demand. Cobots have
and expensive telescoping Z-axis, ceiling height been successfully mounted on rolling bases or carts
must be at least as high as the Z-axis extension. and wheeled into position for a short part run. Other
In many plants, conduit, wire trays, water, steam,
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not impossible. Mounting a six-axis robot over the
injection machine can be accomplished even in very
low-ceiling facilities.
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expensive, in any factory. And as molders add more
and more pre- and post-mold processing to their
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greater demand. Machine mounting a six-axis robot
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installations have utilized magnetic bases or a high-
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and the maintenance department needs access as precision collet mounting to enable cobots to be
well. Mounting a six-axis robot on the machine or moved from machine to machine.
overhead also means clear access when required. ‡ (DV\ WR SURJUDP 6RPH FRERWV RIIHU H[WUHPHO\ LQWXLWLYH
The Cobot Advantage programming, making the setup, programming and
interfacing to molding machines and other peripherals
Use of cobots is exploding in the injection molding market. YHU\ VWUDLJKWIRUZDUG :LWK QR VSHFLDO VRIWZDUH
:KLOH FRERWV GHOLYHU DOO WKH VL[ D[LV EHQHÀWV QRWHG DERYH language to learn, even using lead-through teaching,
WKH\ DOVR GHOLYHU VLJQLÀFDQW DGYDQWDJHV QRW DYDLODEOH ZLWK operating costs are low and even small and medium-
traditional automation: sized operations can successfully implement robot
‡ 0RUH VSDFH VDYLQJ &ROODERUDWLYH URERWV ZHUH VR automation.
named for their ability to work safely in close ‡ /RZ FRVW IDVW 52, &RERWV DUH FKDQJLQJ KRZ
SUR[LPLW\ WR KXPDQV :KHQ SURSHUO\ DSSOLHG DIWHU DXWRPDWLRQ LV LPSOHPHQWHG 6LPSOLÀHG SURJUDPPLQJ
a risk assessment), cobots often do not require and setup, pre-engineered peripherals like grippers
the heavy, expensive and space-intensive safety and vision systems, and reduced or no guarding,
fencing and access doors associated with traditional all add up to automation at about half the cost of
automation. Their collaborative nature frees up traditional robots. Cobot systems are routinely being
HYHQ PRUH ÁRRUVSDFH HYHQ IRU ÁRRU RU SHGHVWDO installed in the $75,000 range, which means incredibly
mounted installations, and allows for quick access to fast ROI, typically within six to nine months.

Plastics News September 2019 36