In relation to machine tending automation, the simplest to deploy options are nearly all the time these which are easiest.
However does this imply you must select an intrusive or a non-intrusive answer?
Intrusive automation options are customized constructed in your particular wants. This implies they’re completely suited to your manufacturing line, however the integration course of is prolonged, complicated, and dear. Non-intrusive automation options, then again, are fast to deploy and might be simply utilized to nearly any manufacturing line.
Which sort of answer is best? Customized intrusive automation or off-the-shelf non-intrusive automation?
With the suitable data and a transparent understanding of each choices, you can also make probably the most applicable alternative in your machine tending course of.
What’s CNC machine tending and why automate?
Robotic machine tending is the method of utilizing robots to load and unload elements from CNC machines. This normally includes including uncooked supplies to the machine and eradicating the completed merchandise after the machining cycle.
Machine tending automation will help enhance the effectivity of your manufacturing course of by eradicating this boring and repetitive process from the fingers of human employees.
These machinists can then transfer to extra useful and fascinating duties inside your facility. This makes their jobs extra rewarding and helps enhance security as they don’t seem to be interacting with harmful equipment.
Different advantages of automated machine tending is that it helps enhance product high quality by making certain elements are all the time positioned within the machine in precisely the identical means each time.
Intrusive vs non-intrusive CNC machine tending
You’ll be able to consider there being two sorts of robotic machine tending answer: intrusive and non-intrusive.
Intrusive techniques require in depth integration time and price range. You both want a excessive diploma of information and experience in robotic integration or you will need to rent somebody who does.
In distinction, a non-intrusive answer — the Robotiq Machine Tending Answer is the pioneer on this method — is predicated on commonplace, off-the-shelf applied sciences. Because of this easy method, you should use non-intrusive options with nearly any CNC machine.
Listed here are the professionals and cons of every method:
Intrusive machine tending options
That is the traditional kind of robotic machine tending. Earlier than the Robotiq answer got here alongside, this was the one kind.
Intrusive options require you to combine with the CNC machine’s controller and {hardware} through the robotic’s programming.
Benefits of intrusive automation are:
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Totally custom-made to your particular machine.
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Lets you entry all CNC machine performance, with superior programming.
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Properly-established method, so there are various options in the marketplace.
Disadvantages are:
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Integration is complicated and costly, taking lots of time.
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Requires in depth robotics data and experience.
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Arduous to enhance and replace following adjustments to the method.
Non-intrusive machine tending options
The Robotiq Machine Tending Answer takes a really completely different method. It’s a non-intrusive answer.
Non-intrusive implies that the answer makes use of commonplace applied sciences like gentle sensors and linear actuators. As an alternative of interfacing with the CNC machine’s communication protocols, the robotic system makes use of these off-the-shelf parts to work together as a human operator would — by trying on the standing lights and urgent buttons.
It is a less complicated, cheaper various and might be simply utilized to nearly any CNC machine.
Benefits of non-intrusive automation are:
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Less complicated to deploy and really straightforward to make use of.
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No robotics data or programming expertise wanted.
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Appropriate with many extra CNC machines.
Disadvantages are:
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There are fewer options in the marketplace. Our answer is a pioneer.
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Probably much less appropriate to full-scale automation throughout a whole manufacturing plant.
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If you wish to entry extra superior performance of the CNC machine, you will want additional integration.
How a non-intrusive machine tending answer works
How can a machine tending robotic interface along with your CNC machine with out utilizing the machine’s communication protocols?
With the Robotiq answer, now we have solved one of many greatest challenges with standard CNC machine tending utilizing a easy method.
The fundamental philosophy behind a non-intrusive system is that this: Use the CNC machine in the identical means as a human operator would.
This includes:
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Utilizing gentle sensors to detect the CNC machine’s standing by “trying” at its standing lights.
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Utilizing a linear actuator to press the machine’s foot pedal to open and shut the door.
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Urgent the “Begin” button on the machine’s management panel to activate the subsequent machining cycle.
These options are very simple. With this method, we are able to take away an enormous quantity of the friction that’s generally related to machine tending automation.
How to decide on the suitable kind of automation for what you are promoting
Discovering the suitable automation answer for what you are promoting could be a robust determination. There are lots of competing options in the marketplace. To the untrained eye, these options can appear to be fairly comparable, even when they’re really very completely different.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all for automation — though the Robotiq Machine Tending Answer comes shut. A number of components will affect your alternative of answer, together with the scale of your organization, the quantity of automation you need to deploy, and the precise wants of your machinists.
No matter machine tending answer you select, attempt to discover examples of people that have executed the identical as you. You will discover some examples of groups which have utilized machine tending automation in our case research library.
Your alternative: customized vs. off-the-shelf automation
Finally, the selection of whether or not you automate with an intrusive or a non-intrusive answer is as much as you.
With the suitable data and steerage, you can also make the most effective determination in your wants, price range, and degree of expertise.
A very powerful factor is to discover a answer that can let you automate your particular CNC machines. With the suitable answer, you’ll be part of the numerous companies which are utilizing robots to make their manufacturing extra environment friendly.
You can too see our Machine Tending Answer in motion on this demo.
What has held you again from machine tending automation till now? Inform us within the feedback under or be part of the dialogue on LinkedIn, Twitter, Fb, or the DoF skilled robotics neighborhood.
