Motoman Robots Loading/Unloading Machined Parts

Summary

Overall cycle time: 18 seconds for two parts, with CNC load/unloads in 6 seconds or less. Improved speed and throughput capacity. Improved safety over manual loading. Flexibility to add automatic unloading for CNC machining center. Automatic robot and CNC program changes for part changeover through PLC and touchscreen interface.

Project Challenges

• More than double production capacity by increasing production from 200 parts per hour loaded manually to 400 parts per hour using robotics.
• Load and unload CNC machining center in six seconds or less, including tooling actuation time.
• Improve operator safety over manual load/unload methods.
• Reduce number of operators needed from three per two lines for two shifts (12 total) to one operator per shift running both production lines (two total).
• Retain capability to manually load CNC machine for prototyping purposes or in cases when the robot is not operating.

Motoman Robotics Solution

Motoman Robotics provided two mirror-image SV3 material handling systems, allowing for dual production lines with a common aisle configuration. One unloads/loads parts from the right side of the CNC machine and the other unloads/loads parts from the left side of the CNC machine. Each flexible system includes:

• Motoman SV3 robot with XRC controller.
• Custom two-sided, dual parallel gripper.
• Steel robot riser - 0.61 m (24").
• Common base for robot, controller and safety enclosure - 1.2 m x 2.7 m (4' x 9').
• Two manually operated 180° indexing positioners with panel safeguarding. Includes two removable plastic part trays per positioner (four per cell). Customer will purchase additional trays separately.
• Two operator stations.
• Three-color status beacon.
• Re-grip station with part-present sensors.
• Customer supplied CNC machining center with programmable controller.
• Safety enclosure 1.2 m x 2.7 m x 1.8 m (4' W x 9' L x 6' H) with clear polycarbonate panels on aluminum frame with one safety interlocked gate.