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The vary of manipulation duties that robots can perform is rising, based on FAULHABER. It consists of every little thing from greedy and holding to clamping and screwing, in addition to foaming and welding, stated the German firm.

On the subject of standardized mass manufacturing, specialised robots can carry out the identical duties day and night time. However many processes require flexibility, similar to in terms of batch dimension 1. That is additionally necessary to save lots of on funding prices. The better the vary of duties {that a} robotic can perform, the higher, FAULHABER stated in a weblog submit.

Device changer with brushless flat motor. Supply: FAULHABER

Clever Peripherals for Robots (IPR) goals to unravel these downside with its TKX device changer. Mounted to the top of a robotic arm, it may take away a wide range of instruments from a rack, based on IPR.

For instance, TKX allows the robotic to first grip and place a workpiece, then course of it with instruments, and at last verify and doc the standard with a contour sensor or a digital camera. For this, the adapter wants appropriate feed-throughs for the corresponding device capabilities.

The TKX collection offers choices, in addition to a number of lateral screw-on surfaces for extra modules. Nonetheless, the primary job of the device changer is to securely lock the device when it’s picked up and to rapidly and persistently launch the lock once more when it’s set down after use.

Functions decide selected of pneumatic or electrical

Historically, many industrial functions use pneumatic energy transmissions, stated FAULHABER. Compressed-air know-how has confirmed itself over many years, and it’s appropriate for dealing with very heavy objects, the firm famous. However a pneumatic system requires compressors, strains, and its personal management system with quite a few mechanical parts – a substantial funding in new programs.

In industries with elevated calls for on cleanliness and hygiene, similar to microelectronics or meals, pneumatics are out of the query due to the unavoidable emission of compressed air. And pneumatics are an absolute no-go in clear rooms. Eppingen, Germany-based IPR stated it has seen a big pattern in the direction of using electrical drives as an alternative of pneumatic ones.

“Along with the hygienic security, electrical motors are far more versatile in use,” stated the corporate. “Not like compressed air connections, energy sockets can be found virtually anyplace.”

“In newly constructed industrial vegetation, pneumatic programs are typically now not put in,” IPR added. “For cobots and smaller robots in addition to for decentralized places, the electrical model is sort of all the time the higher answer.”

The truth that the electrical drive is an actual various to pneumatics immediately additionally has one thing to do with motor know-how, defined Roman Batz, improvement engineer at IPR.

“Nice strides have been made lately,” he stated. “For our functions, we mainly want a whole lot of energy with very small dimensions. FAULHABER affords motors that may simply maintain their very own in comparison with pneumatic drives.”

FAULHABER motors to open, shut, and maintain

Holding up can also be meant fairly actually right here. At present, probably the most highly effective electrical mannequin within the TKX collection, the TKE 300, is appropriate for dealing with objects weighing as much as 300 kg (661.3 lb.), stated IPR.

In metallic processing, robots can deal with heavy hundreds similar to solid blocks or giant solid components. The pulling power of their total mass then acts upon the locking ring within the TKX changer.

The torque equipped by the motor in standby mode could be sufficient for protected holding. However to make sure notably dependable fixation, IPR has additionally put in self-retaining kinematics, which have been developed in-house.

“A brushless motor from the FAULHABER BXT household offers the driving power for opening, closing, and holding,” FAULHABER stated. “With its exterior rotor know-how, it achieves a ratio of torque to weight and quantity that’s unmatched in the marketplace. This energy density is among the conditions for the distinctive promoting level of the brand new product household from IPR.”

“The TKX collection are the primary device changers in the marketplace which are accessible on the identical platform with each pneumatic and electrical drives – we even have a handbook model within the product vary,” Batz stated. “Because of this all the vary of equipment can be utilized with all drive sorts with out retooling. And switching to electrical operation can also be fairly simple. This opens up new prospects for robotic automation.”

IPR’s TKX device changer consists of an electrical FAULHABER motor. Supply: FAULHABER

Parts designed to be dependable, simple to mix

The TKE changers can be accessible in seven sizes for dealing with workpieces from 3 to 300 kg (6.6 to 661.3 lb.), based on IPR. The electrical variant of the product household thus covers a variety of functions, from light-weight robots to stationary functions. The scale of the BXT motors used are tailored to the appliance.

“The vary of sizes and the massive number of appropriate gears for the optimum discount in every case was an necessary criterion for us,” Batz stated. “Robots ought to have the ability to obtain seven-digit cycle numbers with out upkeep. So solely a brushless motor with the very best attainable processing high quality can be utilized. It must be simple to manage and handle with out further management – the built-in pace controller takes care of that. Final however not least, the parts have to have the ability to face up to temperatures of as much as +80°C.”

IPR procures all of its micromotors from FAULHABER. “We began working collectively a few years in the past, lengthy earlier than my time,” Batz stated. Along with the distinctive high quality of the merchandise, different facets play an necessary function for him.

“It begins with the quite simple design of motor-gear mixtures on the FAULHABER web site,” stated Batz. “It takes just some clicks to get a complete overview. The technical particulars are very effectively documented, and in terms of exactly calculating the finer factors – effectivity, energy consumption, temperature improvement over time, and so forth. — I all the time get the help I want.”

An instance IPR workcell with the robotic device changer. Supply: FAULHABER

Editor’s word: This text was syndicated with permission from FAULHABER’s weblog.