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Kawasaki Robotics (USA) Inc. right now stated it’s going to display the most recent additions to its portfolio, together with the CL Sequence collaborative robots, at IMTS subsequent week. The Wixom, Mich.-based firm stated it has continued to refine the cobots’ utility for functions reminiscent of welding, machine tending, and materials elimination.
“Kawasaki Robotics is dedicated to delivering the superior automation know-how producers want to take care of manufacturing schedules with out having to compromise high quality or security,” said Seiji Amazawa, president of Kawasaki Robotics. “We lead the robotics trade by collaborating with progressive companions reminiscent of AMT, Hurco, Wauseon Machine, and NEURA Robotics, integrating our know-how with theirs to harness the most effective in human ingenuity.”
NEURA Robotics partnered with Kawasaki to develop the CL Sequence, which the businesses claimed gives industrial-scale efficiency and pace with out compromising the protection and suppleness benefits of human-robot collaboration.
“It’s all about reducing the obstacles to entry,” Zachary Thoma, a former integrator and regional gross sales supervisor at Kawasaki Robotics, instructed The Robotic Report. “Since Automate, we’ve been ensuring that our merchandise are as user-friendly as doable and are working with companions to make sure that prospects don’t want a Ph.D. to make the CL Sequence work.”
“I’ve been crucial of cobots over my profession, however we wish to provide the best-value machine for repeatability, pace, ease of use, and bundle worth,” he added. ”We take a look at our core applied sciences in parallel in Japan, the U.S., and Germany.”
CL Sequence gives repeatability with flexibility
“By offering superior capabilities together with industrial scale efficiency and pace as normal options, we increase productiveness, enhance product high quality and employee security, and cut back rework necessities,” Amazawa asserted. “Our solely new manner and agile method to collaborative robots allows producers to extra simply handle labor shortages whereas yielding wonderful return on funding.”
The CL Sequence helps a wide range of payloads and attain from 3 kg/590 mm (6.6 lb./23.2 in.) to 10 kg/1,000 mm (22 lb./39.3 in.). Kawasaki stated it expects fashions with larger payloads reminiscent of 15 kg (33 lb.) to return to market throughout the subsequent 12 months.
Constructed with parts reminiscent of built-in 24-bit encoders, the collaborative robots function at a pace of 200°/s and a repeatability of +/– 0.02 mm. The CL Sequence additionally additionally has free mounting orientations, a small footprint, and IP66 classification present flexibility, stated Kawasaki.
The cobots have an intuitive person interface, plus proprietary security limits and collision detection for dependable operations alongside human staff, in keeping with the firm.
For “industrial collaboration,” the CL robots have the identical casing as Kawasaki Robotics’ industrial robotic arms. This allows them to function with out protecting covers in crowded and harsh environments that might not be appropriate for different cobots.
“There are not any collaborative robots — solely collaborative functions,” stated Thoma. “The robotic doesn’t decide suitability; the applying does. Is the method sluggish, does it require flexibility or accuracy/repeatability, is the payload heavy?”
Kawasaki to display functions with companions
Kawasaki Robotics plans to display its complete CL Sequence and different automation in Chicago. For instance, a CL110 cobot will have a tendency an upgraded Wauseon Machine 1004EL Electrical Finish Forming Machine.
“IMTS attendees can see pick-and-place demo,” Gilles Renard, a robotics engineer and functions engineering group chief at Kawasaki Robotics, instructed The Robotic Report. “Three large enhancements of the previous six months had been in flexibility for arc welding, palletizing software program capabilities, and communication from the PLC.”
Kawasaki may also present at Sales space 236520 a modular shelf system for half feeding that it developed with Hurco. It would embody a Kawasaki RS013N robotic, 16 workpieces — 4 fixtured to pallets and 12 held in 5th Axis LiteVises — and a Hurco VM15Di CNC machine, all operated with Hurco’s WinMax CNC Controls.
That system was designed to maintain up with buyer demand for high-mix, low-volume components manufacturing with out the necessity to discover ways to program a robotic.
“We wish to present turnkey machine tending out of the field,” asserted Thoma. “By partnering with a premium machining suppliers, we wish to present premier help and reliability with out premier prices.”
As well as, an interactive CL108 cobot show will present how the CL Sequence Zero-G mode permits for hand guiding and recording applications with a lightweight contact, stated the unit of Minato Metropolis, Japan-based Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Saved parameters enhance setup consistency and cut back setup errors, it stated.
“The hands-on demo will permit individuals to really feel the sensitivity of Zero-G hand steering and the convenience of educating factors,” Renard stated. “They’ll have a really feel for an industrial robotic in a collaborative area.”
Different Kawasaki robots on show at IMTS
Kawasaki will exhibit its new BA013N and BA013L industrial robots with built-in intelligence, adaptive arc welding, and real-time path modulation (RTPM) capabilities. Additionally for welding, Okay-Positioners might help automate workpiece motion to optimize the place of welding torches and cut back cycle occasions.
The firm developed the RoboFin system with AMT and NEFF Automation for materials elimination and ending. It could deal with numerous supplies and floor varieties, improve abrasive life as much as 3X, and enhance consistency and high quality, stated Kawasaki.
The Okay-Monitor linear axes are supposed to simplify reconfiguration of manufacturing traces by decreasing the variety of robots wanted for a selected process.
Lastly, Kawasaki Robotics plans to indicate its ASTORINO academic robotic in Sales space 121415 within the IMTS Smartforce Scholar Summit.
“The cobot area is aggressive,” acknowledged Thoma. “However our robotic has exact repeatability alongside the identical traces as an industrial robotic, and the strong nature of our robotic is a part of Kawasaki’s DNA. What units us aside in the long run is the corporate and the individuals who take a private curiosity in ensuring that prospects get the suitable instrument for the job.”