Fieldbus simplifies robot 'dressing'
Kuka is using fieldbus valve islands on its robots to simplify the task
of installing and setting up end-of-arm tooling
In a production environment, it is essential to be able to install and
set up a robot's end-of-arm tooling as quickly and efficiently as
possible. Historically, one major area of concern was so-called robot
'dressing', referring to the mass of cabling and tubing that accompanies
any robot installation. In the automotive industry, where a variety of
assembly operations are carried out in multiple robot cells spread around
a large plant, robot dressing can become a major headache for production
staff. Industrial robot specialist, Kuka reckons it has cracked the
problem with a combination comprising its own energy supply harness
system and Norgren's compact, fieldbus-compatible VM10 pneumatic valve
islands, which have greatly reduced the amount of tubing and cabling
surrounding the robot.
In a recent application, involving the handling of automotive engine
connecting rods for precision machining and grinding, the Kuka robots
have VM10 valve islands fitted directly to the arm ends. Grippers and
other manipulative actuators associated with the end-of-arm tooling, and
their position sensors, are connected directly to these valve islands,
considerably reducing the burden of cables and pneumatic air lines. The
only connections required are a single compressed air input, an
electrical power supply and the fieldbus link.
The VM10 is quite suited to this type of application. It is compact and
of low mass, and its high flow spool design ensures that there is no
degradation of performance even during the most complex action sequence.
The units are also IP65 rated, so they are proof against many harsh
industrial environments. Various fieldbus options are available with VM10
- InterBus being chosen for this automotive application because of its
long distance (3km) capabilities and its compatibility with many
automotive manufacturing standards.
Norgren