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Collaborative robotic arms should not as exact or rugged as their industrial cousins, in line with the traditional knowledge. Epson Robots at present addressed that problem with its new C-B collection six-axis robots, which use the RC700E controller and built-in SafeSense expertise.
The Los Alamitos, Calif.-based firm mentioned the C4B, C4LB, C8LB, C8XLB, and C12XLB fashions are designed for precision, flexibility, and effectivity to make sure efficiency in a spread of commercial environments.
“To satisfy essentially the most demanding wants of high-tech automation customers, we’ve got expanded the modern options from the top-of-the-line GX-Sequence SCARA robots to the top-of-the-line C Sequence six-axis robots,” acknowledged Scott Marsic, group product supervisor at Epson Robots.
“The brand new C-B Sequence addresses a variety of automation and office security wants whereas underscoring Epson’s dedication to advance industrial automation with cutting-edge options that optimize efficiency and reliability throughout numerous manufacturing environments,” he added.
Epson Robots, which claimed to be the No. 1 SCARA robotic producer on this planet, mentioned it utilized 4 a long time of expertise to the C-B collection. The unit of Epson Group mentioned it has offered greater than 150,000 robots for meeting and supplies dealing with functions based mostly on a standard PC-based platform.
SafeSense helps ‘industrial collaborative workcells’
SafeSense Know-how permits the brand new robots to work at velocity till a human employee approaches. Epson Robots mentioned this enables for elevated productiveness and employee security whereas decreasing the necessity for bodily security limitations and thus decreasing the system’s general footprint and value.
“There’s often a tradeoff — efficiency equals velocity plus payload plus precision plus person interplay,” defined James Shimano, a product supervisor at Epson. “If you need excessive ranges of interplay, reminiscent of with energy and force-limited cobots, you lose exact components placement and cycle occasions. Against this, industrial robots require bodily limitations.”
“With SafeSense, we’ve got sensors for velocity and separation,” he defined. “If there’s no person round, the robotic can function at full velocity. When a person approaches, it has restricted velocity however full journey. If a person interacts, the robotic has restricted velocity and journey.”
SafeSense works with stress mats, gentle curtains, or lidar sensors, Shimano advised The Robotic Report.
“It’s like boxing. If you happen to’re within the ring, it’s a smooth hit,” he added. “If you happen to’re out of the ring, it’s like industrial robots, and should you dodge, that’s SafeSense.”
The RC700E controller permits for safer human-robot interplay by safety-rated velocity and place monitoring, mixed with a correct threat evaluation.
As well as, the mix of SafeSense with the “no-code” Epson RC+ Categorical software program permits “industrial collaborative workcells” for repeatability, mentioned the corporate. SafeSense gives a brand new set of instruments for workcells and might be tuned by software, mentioned Shimano.
The CB collection is TUV-certified to fulfill ISO 10218-1 and UL1740 security requirements.
Epson RC+ to assist customers resolve workcell issues
“We’re not simply robotic producers; we make robots to make use of them ourselves,” Shimano famous. “Our primary enterprise is shopper merchandise reminiscent of printers, watches, scanners, and projectors. We perceive real-life workcell issues.”
The Epson RC+ growth software program gives a easy person interface, an built-in debugger, and a built-in 3D simulator. Customers can go from “no-code” environments to full coding language, famous Shimano.
Epson RC+ doesn’t have a recurring license charge. Together with battery-less encoders, this implies a low complete value of possession (TCO), mentioned Epson.
The brand new robots additionally include superior choices, together with imaginative and prescient steerage, components feeding, pressure steerage, conveyor monitoring, and fieldbus. The OPC Unified Structure (UA) gives superior connectivity for next-level integration and monitoring, making the C-B collection prepared for Trade 4.0, in line with the corporate.
“Relatively than integrating a separate digital camera, imaginative and prescient software program, and robotic from three totally different distributors, Epson is a single supply, and our merchandise are rated to work collectively,” mentioned Shimano. “After we discuss with prospects, we ask, ‘What’s your final purpose?’
“Our idea of the commercial collaborative workcell is between the extremes of cobots and industrial automation,” Shimano mentioned. “Six-axis robots can do advanced motions, like meeting duties the place velocity, precision, and orientation are vital.”
C-B options provide precision and velocity
The C-B collection gives a number of arm configurations, efficiency with payloads as much as 12 kg (26.4 lb.), and excessive throughput for demanding duties, mentioned Epson Robots.
The corporate touted its compact “SlimLine” design, reminiscent of a compact wrist pitch for accessing hard-to-reach areas in confined areas. Epson gives tabletop and ceiling mounting choices with 600 and 900 mm (23.6 to 35.4 in.) reaches obtainable for the C4B and C4LB fashions.
The C8LB and C8XLB fashions have 900 and 1,400 mm (55.1 in.) reaches, and the C12XLB has a 1,400 mm attain.
The proprietary Epson GYROPLUS reduces vibrations, supporting excessive acceleration, easy movement management, and quick settling occasions for quick cycle occasions. It additionally helps the brand new robots keep away from ringing or overshooting for exact operations inside specs.
“GYROPLUS suppresses inaccurate trajectories, decreasing cycle occasions,” mentioned Shimano. “This expertise was vital in our SCARA line, however in six-axis robots, it’s often addressed by including mass and stiffness. With the sensor-oriented GYROPLUS, we are able to make the robotic lighter.”
Commonplace, cleanroom (ISO32)/ESD (electrostatic discharge), and guarded IP67 fashions can be found.
“The road between industrial and collaborative robots is beginning to blur,” acknowledged Shimano, whose father is robotics pioneer Bruce Shimano. “Now, we are able to get the perfect of each worlds. We’ve been ready for the democratization of robotics for the reason that Nineteen Eighties, however as an alternative of getting one resolution matches all, we’re having conversations with finish customers.”
The C-B collection robots are actually obtainable by Epson Robots’ distributor companions.
