One challenge for high-throughput, high-efficiency manufacturing is that you need to get the parts both into and out of the machine with equal speed and efficiency – it’s pointless to have a high-speed machine if you still end up with long cycle times from moving parts in and out.
In the video above, we spoke with Andreas Steiner, an automation engineer at United Grinding North America, about automating part loading and unloading for grinding equipment with collaborative robots (cobots).
“Using collaborative robots, like FANUC’s CR-7iA/L, we’re able to automate machine loading and unloading without any safety fences,” Steiner said.
If the robot does stop, whether intentionally or by accidentally and harmlessly bumping into a human, its cycle does not need to be restarted.
“If you touch the robot, it stops automatically and after a short time resumes its work,” Steiner explained.
“We have a lot of customers looking for solutions like this in automotive and aerospace, but also the medical industry,” Steiner said. “Using robotics for applications like this, customers can automate the toughest of environments. Customers can buy a machine like the PLANOMAT HP with this handling system, or retrofit a machine already on their floor.”
For more information, watch the video above and visit the United Grinding website.