simulationsareoftennotenough. In these
cases, tests in the FestoApplication
Centreareneeded. Under real conditions,
andusingpartssuppliedby the customer,
the cycle timesand repetitionaccuracyof
handlingsystemsare tested,with
movements recordedusingahighspeed
camera from Festo. Softwareand
hardware can thusbepreciselymatched.
In the caseof theAmaxpalletiser, theset
downaccuracy in the trayswasparticularly
critical. The laboratory conditions in the
ApplicationCentrewere therefore ideal as
awayof analysing theset downaccuracy
and thesubsequent settling timesof the
delta robots, developingappropriate
softwarealgorithmsandoptimising these
inorder toobtain the required cycle
times.
Engineeringknowhowsavesa lotof time
The twodelta robotsEXPTweresupplied
by Festoasa complete ready-to-install
systemwith the robotic controller CMXR
and themotor controller CMMP-AS ina
suitable control cabinet. Thesewere
complementedby the intelligent compact
visionsystemSBOI...-Qwhichoptically
detectspartson theconveyorbeltand
signalspositiondata to the robotic
controller.Other ready-to-install handling
systemsweresupplied for tray changes.
ElectricaxesELGRpush the trays forward,
andpneumatic cylinders then lift and
clamp them. TheelectricaxisEGC-HD,
famous for its rigidityandprecision,
movesamechanical gripper horizontally.
Thisgripper liftsseveral partsat a time,
swivels90° andsets themdown ina
lattice tray.Verticalmovement isprovided
byanelectricaxisEGC.
Festodelivered the ready-to-install system
solution, fullyassembledand testedand
witha functional guarantee, directly to
themachine. “We tookadvantageof the
engineeringknowhowof the Festo
automationspecialists,whichsaveda
great deal of time throughout theprocess,
especiallyduring testingand
commissioning,”saysRolfWirz,
underlining the comprehensive rangeof
serviceswhich Festoprovides.
Newground fordelta technology
“Withour customautomationsolutions,
weareoftenworkingat the limitsof
technical knowledgeand feasibility.We
expect our partners tobeenthusiastic
about innovationand tobewilling towork
withus tomeet new challengesandopen
upnewapplications.We foundsucha
partner in Festo,”saysWirz. “Thedelta
robot EXPT isonlyoneexampleofmany
whichshowhow Festo isable toprovide
uswith innovativeproductswithwhich
we cansucceed in themarket,”says
Amax’sManagingDirector.Wirzbelieves
that theFesto tripodwith itsattractive
price/performance ratiomakesdelta
technologyviable inareas thatwere
previously thepreserveof SCARA robots.
Itbenefitsgreatly fromadvantagessuch
as lowmovingmassandbetter
accessibility,whilealsoofferinghigh
system rigidityand thusgood repetition
accuracy
.
AmaxAutomationAG
Kirchbergstrasse211
3400Burgdorf
Switzerland
Areaof business:
Assemblyandproduction
automation, special engineering
and cuphandlingsystems
RolfWirz,ManagingDirector of Amax
(right) indiscussionwithDanielMinger,
SalesEngineer, IndustryCluster Small PartsHandlingandElectronicswith Festo
Switzerland.
Twodelta robotsEXPT
fill
the
JEDEC trayswitha throughput
of 120partsperminute.
Issue27
trends inautomation
Synergies
30
–
31
is
infoservice
27-01
Handlingsystemsoverviewbrochure
is
infoservice
27-02
Advancedhandlingsystems
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