The decision to include an Ethernet/IP protocol came after Mitsubishi wanted to offer an industrial communication system with real time capabilities. The SD series robots feature a protocol used in ControlNet and DeviceNet. Its Common Industrial Protocol or CIP comes with a plug-and-play interoperability among various vendors. The new Ethernet option utilizes a single cable to connect the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) with the Robotic controller.

With their multitasking operating system boosted by Compliance control function and CIP, the robots have delivered exceptional performance in the industry. Aside from reducing setup time, the new Ethernet/IP option has also reduced hardware costs and saved a lot of idle time during further routing and wiring of the parallel input as well as the output terminals one at a time, resulting to increased productivity of the plant.

The Robots are generally utilized in quality control and analysis department. With the new Ethernet/IP connectivity, company’s using the SD series robots expects to seen an increase in their application.

Motion Control Tips

The first in the group of high current, dual channel brushless motor controllers, HBL2350 can be utilized to control automatic guided vehicles, two-wheel driven small electric vehicles, balancing scooters and other applications that require high power brushless motors.

The controller receives commands either through an analog pedal or a joystick. Its standard R/C radio allows for easy robotic applications by means of remote control through USB or RS232 interface.

The controller can execute over 50,000 basic instructions in 1s through an integrated basic language interpreter. This feature is particularly helpful for adding custom functions through scripts without needing an external PLC or microcomputer.

The motors can operate in an open or closed loop position with an update rate of one kHz. Meanwhile, optical encoders can be used to measure the speed and travelled distance with high accuracy. The controller’s smart current sensing capability narrows down the highest power output to 75A under all load forms.

The controller can also hold up to 11 analogue inputs, six pulse and 19 digital and deliver up to eight 1A digital outputs, which can be utilized for activating brakes, valves, lights and other instruments. Housed in a strong aluminum case, the controller measures 228 mm x 140 mm x 40 mm.

Motion Control Tips

A servo driven gantry robot, this new machine is designed with three or four axes. It offers a compact footprint and can palletize crates, boxes, bags, buckets and other packed products from one or multiple lines. Its interpolated controls enable the heavy-duty linear axes to move like spiders with accuracy and speed. This allows the new machine to achieve a maximum speed of up to 10 cycles per minute.

It comes with an innovative fast gripper changing system that enables the machine to shift to clamping gripper from vacuum gripper. This makes the machine suitable for various sectors, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics as well as food and drink. A stored pre-programmed pallet patterns allows the “Spider” to change over quickly and efficiently.

The status of the servo drives, machine, and the different peripheral equipment can be continuously monitored at its “operator display” panel. The software’s ease of use feature allows customers to integrate new palletizing patterns.

“The ‘Spider’ machine came to our attention through one of our European distributors – as the machine is particularly successful withinBelgiumandHolland,” said Alan Yates, MD and CEO of Endoline Machinery.

”It was the ‘Spiders’ ability to palletize different types of containers which was particularly appealing to us as this would work for all of our customers and is not dependant on the industry they are in. As a result we have established a joint venture with the Belgian company who manufacture the ‘Spider’ to produce it and launch it within theUK.”

Motion Control Tips

“RMT Robotics is pleased to introduce our newest case and crate picking solutions for the dairy industry,” remarked Derek Rickard, Distribution Systems Manager for RMT.

Featuring unlimited layout options, the robotic gantry-based solutions also handle a vast variety of dairy products, such as milk, yogurts, cheese and cream. The systems also operate in chill stores to -20°C.

The highly flexible RMT picking systems are specifically designed to address distribution dilemmas that include labor constraints, SKU proliferation and traceability.

The systems can pick individual or multiple cases from active storage, regardless of packaging type. Once the system has received products and orders, it starts the pre-picking process. When the needed products for a particular order are ready, the RMT system can easily and quickly complete it. With advanced automated controls system, crates or cases are delivered in exact pallet-build sequence desired by customers at the dock for automated mixed palletizing. Thus, fresh products arrive earlier at retail stores, offering longer shelf lives.

In the event of a recall or problem, the system also offers information on the products’ precise location and the ability to isolate SKUs.

“With prices being set by a competitive market and an environment driven by new safety requirements, the industry is under more pressure than ever. RMT systems will help dairy producers address the current challenges – and improve their profitability – by streamlining operations and lowering costs,” said Mr. Rickard.

Motion Control Tips

Designed with fast Ethernet connectivity, the THP550 can be used to synchronize robots in a production line. This allows two or more SCARAs to work together, utilizing one single vision system, and provide a net capital expenditure saving than when using a single more expensive device.

Complementing the THP550 is another device with Ethernet connectivity that helps simplify set up — the TS3000 series controllers. With functionality based on “one line = one camera” philosophy, the devices effectively reduce expenses by sharing the vision from one camera across various robots. This enables the system to quickly sort huge quantities of goods and benefit from easy programming through its dedicated commands. The synchronized automation also yields lesser damaged products.

“While SCARA robots have ease of integration, relatively low costs and versatility on their side, they have always been slower than the very fastest robot technologies. We can now compensate for that by offering a set up that provides all the speed advantages of a delta-style with the simplicity, adaptability and flexibility of a SCARA,” said Nigel Smith, Managing Director of TM Robotics.

The THP550 comes with a payload capacity of up to two kg, arm length of 550 mm and 0.29 seconds cycle time. It also offers a composite speed of up to 6.21 m/sec as well as a repeatability of ±0.015 mm on the X and Y axes. This means that it can meet the speed requirement of even the most demanding applications while providing great precision on repetitive pick and place tasks.

Motion Control Tips

“Unique to the EPSON RS4 arm is our new workspace design which maximizes work envelope usage” said Michael Ferrara, EPSON Robots’ Director. “The unique arm structure of EPSON RS-Series robots utilizes the entire workspace underneath the arm, defeating the “old” SCARA design limitations so there is no dead space in the center of the work envelope.”

“No other robot vendor offers a 550mm SCARA arm capable of working on pallets as large as 778mm x 778mm. A pallet size this large would normally require a 1,200mm SCARA arm in a 2.4m enclosure which is double the size. EPSON RS4 robots allow our customers to reduce their work space requirements in half while providing industry leading work envelope usage.”

Instead of moving around itself, the EPSON RS4 has the capability to maneuver under itself for the shortest possible movements delivering optimum cycle rates. Thus, more parts are processed for a shorter period of time at a fraction of floor space. A zero footprint robot, it can be easily integrated into compact assembly cells. Providing over 450 degrees of axis rotation for omni directional access, the EPSON RS4’s flexible design eliminates dead space in the work envelope.

Ideal for lab automation and other heavy applications process, EPSON RS4 provides EPSON customers 550 mm and 350 mm RS-Series SCARA Robots.

Motion Control Tips

“Our new PT-RM-1 has been engineered for capturing fast action in live sporting events or studio settings,” said Telemetrics Vice President and General Manager Anthony Cuomo. “Its many features provide robust solutions to the demanding requirements of even the most challenging situations.”

Aside from providing motion record playback or motion through sequence of position, the PT-RM-1 also offers various operating speeds, as well as a velocity range of 0.005°/second to 90°/second. Its acceleration speed stands at up to 180°/second. Its multi-axis control includes tilt, pan, focus, zoom, track, iris, Televator, master pedestal and dolly. The PT-RM-1 is capable of storing up to 255 pre-sets, while its pre-set recall function uses pre-programmed acceleration parameters to provide an on-the-fly time parameter, which enables all axes to simultaneously start and stop.

The control of the lens and the camera is digital or analog serial through RS-422, RS-232 or 10/100 BaseT Ethernet. Powered by a 48V DC source, the PT-RM-1’s DC-DC converter delivers appropriate power levels to the camera, pan/tilt head, optional teleprompter, lens and other auxiliary robotic equipment.

For easy managing of cables, the PT-RM-1 Pan/Tilt Head offers a provision for harnessing serial/Ethernet control, power, gunlock, video and prompter video cables right at the Pan/Tilt unit’s base. The PT-RM-1 can be installed inverted or upright and is capable of supporting a load of up to 35 pounds.

Motion Control Tips

“It was fun,” Matthew Koniecko, who is in the eight-grade and the design and engineering leader of the team. “Difficult in some way, but it’s mostly fun.” The team first made cardboard prototypes to test the design, throwing away many ideas that did not work, he said. The last design features plywood wheels, a swiveling grasping claw and an extendable arm made of PVC pipes.

It is the first time that the school has participated in a robotics competition, and its young team competed against older and more experienced students from Montville, Waterbury, Stony Brook, Long Island and other areas. The students competing were all in sixth grade through 12. The team from Sacred Heart comprised of two eighth-graders, one seventh-grader and four sixth-graders.

Christine Wasielewski, a Sacred Heart teacher of enhancement and religion who coached the team, was overwhelmed. “We had to basically cut everything out ourselves. The students looked at the brain component, with the BEST joystick and the controller and the little servo motors, and they said, ‘Oh, we could do this,’” she said.

“We were very, very good at the cone competition, and that was our strategy,” said Mrs. Wasielewski. Mrs. Katherine Muller, the school’s principal, claimed that the team was very happy just to have a working robot when the competition started.

Motion Control Tips

Plastics molding machines are provided as production cells with handling systems. Beckhoff’s PC control technology allows all processes to be automated with the help of a universal software platform.

For example, different robot concepts such as complex kinematics like delta robots or  cartesian handling devices can be implemented with the TwinCAT software.

The device is extended by another block with robotics. The motion controls, PLC, HMI and robotic functions run on only one industrial PC.

TwinCAT Kinematic Transformation incorporates itself into the world of existing motion control wherein motion control and robotic functions can be optimally synchronized through the use of TwinCAT NC.

All motion characteristics can be blended desired by the user on a common software and hardware platform.

The movements of the handling axes and clamping units are virtually synchronized without any delay through the Ethernet fieldbus EtherCAT.

The advantages of TwinCAT software suite are demonstrated clearly in in-mould labeling applications, which demand high positioning accuracy and short cycle times.

The versatile synchronization functions of TwinCAT are suitable for the applications. Programming happens with the help of customer-specific motion editors or in accordance with the DIN 66025.

In the case of complex chained assembly machines and production cells, Beckhoff TwinSAFE (a flexible software-based safety technology) facilitates subsequent plant modifications and shortens commissioning times.

XFC is based on an optimized communication and control architecture comprising of TwinCAT automation software, the EtherCAT high-speed Ethernet system, I/O terminals with extended real-time characteristics and advanced industrial PC.

Motion Control Tips

Among the kit’s features are out-of-the-box motor control and driver solution, which includes motors, the DRV8412-C2-KIT, a quick-start GUI, full development source code, Code Composer Studio (CCStudio) fitted with development environment (IDE), and a real-time control C2000 Piccolo microcontroller (MCU) controlCARD module. Modular control architecture provides flexibility to choose the suitable level of processing performance for the application. Additional TI MCU options will also be available next year.

The DRV8412 motor with integrated MOSFETs offers up to three times lower Rdson than other solutions, allowing up to 97% efficient operation, and delivers 6A continuous/12A peak current at 50V, eliminating the need for a costly heat sink. The motor driver also incorporates advanced on-chip protection such as under-voltage protection, over-temperature, and cycle-by-cycle over-current, to reduce design board space and complexity and ensure higher system reliability.

C2000 Piccolo MCU can perform communications, debug and control. The 32-bit C2000 MCU incorporates the most advanced CPU capability and control peripherals in an embedded MCU device family. This includes open-tooled reference designs through free controlSUITE software, real-time debug capabilities and access to the most systematic set of motor control software modules.

Easy-to-use GUI and C source code demonstrate current and voltage control of one or two brushed DC motors, as well as index and speed, which include up to 128 microsteps, of a stepper motor.

Motion Control Tips

The program, which will run on November 1 to 10, is the world’s first online test drive, according to Mitsubishi. Developed with the company’s Web designer Simon Cave and robotics expert James Brighton, the program is concurrent with print, TV, digital and direct-mail campaign beginning in mid-October to January.

The test drive operates with point-of-view cameras integrated in the car, servo motors and electronic receivers to control the car’s dynamics, as well as GPS mapping. Participants can sign up for the test-drive starting October 15 at OutlanderSport.com, where they can obtain a code that can be used to line up for the test drive on November 1.

“Since April this year we have gotten back on TV, but we are also working on social media programs because we have a very passionate consumer base,” said Gregory Adams, vice president for marketing at Mitsubishi’s North American operations.

“We want to drive everyone there,” he said, adding that the initial raft of print ads and TV commercials will attract more people to sign up for the event. Mitsubishi will let at least 700 people a day for the test during the 10-day period.

Adams said the initial ads supporting the test-drive event “will run for three weeks to drive awareness and maintain water cooler buzz. It’s very important to our objective of putting Mitsubishi back in the light we belong in. Once the online test is complete, everything switches to more product-focused advertising.”

Motion Control Tips

The kit is comprised of a chassis, pen-lifting servo motors, two stepping motors, USB cable, a power supply, a controller board and a Sharpie pen.

The Egg-Bot features a rigid but adjustable chassis, allowing user to mount spherical or ellipsoidal objects of different sizes and rotate them about the axis of symmetry through a computer-controlled stepping motor. Another stepping motor moves the pen about an axis perpendicular to the “egg” axis, while a servo motor lowers or raises the pen above the egg surface.

The software lets the user control the robot using a free illustration program Inkscape, and the user can draw an image directly, import designs or trace a photo from other programs. Whatever image the user chooses, the Egg-Bot will draw onto the surface using a robotically controlled pen.

According to evilmadscientist.com, the Egg-Bot can be used “to personalize Christmas ornaments or impress your friends with masterpiece Easter eggs.”

Since the machine needs to be assembled, it is a good starter kit for Do-it-yourself (DIY) robotics. The user can adapt it for other uses since all software and electronics are designed to be repurposable and hackable. The provider also suggests using the robot in controlling an Etch-a-Sketch.

Motion Control Tips

“The RC620+ adds to EPSON’s initiative of providing our customers with more Power of Choice than ever before,” said Michael Ferrara, EPSON Robots’ director. “It is the controller of choice for those applications that require a powerful open architecture solution for system expansion and advanced motion and I/O control for demanding applications. With over 10 years of PC based controller experience, EPSON has combined industry leading PC based controls with superior real time motion and I/O control to provide advanced motion control and open architecture expandability all from the same controller.”

Three PCI slots are also available for options such as Fieldbus masters, Vision Systems or 3rd party plug-in cards to expand the RC620+ as needed for a particular application. The RC620+ operates a separate CPU dedicated to motion control and real time options, which include additional I/O, expansion I/O and DeviceNet, conveyor tracking, EtherNet/IP and Profibus Fieldbus slave options. This provides machine operators with open architecture, expandability and ease of use of Microsoft Windows while providing real-time performance for time critical components like motion and I/O control.

Motion Control Tips

Kokoro has collaborated with Hiroshi Ishiguro of Osaka University to create feminine and creepy androids. Actroid F model has joined the ranks of other Kokoro Actroid robots.

The air servo-powered female robots can be rented for several events including trade shows. Actroid F can move its head, mouth, eyes and back, as well as act as a telepresence robot. Face-tracking software and cameras follow a remote operator to control head movements and facial expressions in a master-slave relationship through an Internet link. Actroid F also features minimal servo motors to save cost and does not have the ability to walk.

Kokoro reportedly announced its plans to sell 50 units of the fembots to hospitals and museums for about $110,000 apiece, aiming to use them as receptionist, guide or patient attendant. According to the company, patients have reacted favorably after a hospital trial.

ATR Intelligent Robotics and Communication Laboratories (www.irc.atr.jp), backed by the government, academia and companies, also collaborated in the development of Actroid F, one of the several robot projects the country has funded as it attempts to create next-generation machines to meet social needs.

Motion Control Tips

The new TOUGH GARD™ Spatter Cleaner greatly fits for the user’s welding cell with its low-cost features. It quickly removes all spatter build-up from the MIG welding consumables, and features factory-installed wire sprayer and cutter.

The Tregaskiss TOUGH GARD Spatter Cleaner has a factory-installed wire cutter and sprayer, which minimizes cost and the need for separate peripherals, as well as maximizing its space within the robotic weld cell (“footprint: L = 9.75 x W = 9.75 x H = 17.5 in.”). The wire cutter redresses the welding wire to a consistent and clean length ensuring accurate arc starting, while the wire sprayer applies a layer of  TOUGH GARD Anti-Spatter Liquid for front-end consumables protection. When it is exposed to heat, its anti-spatter liquid produces a protective barrier, which resists spatter accumulation, extending their life and keeping the consumables clean.

“We designed the TOUGH GARD Spatter Cleaner to be an all-in-one cleaning solution-one that minimizes the need and cost for purchasing a separate wire cutter and/or anti-spatter sprayer,” said Rob Ryan, product manager of automation group, Tregaskiss. “It’s a great fit for customers’ welding cells and their budgets.”

Motion Control Tips

“Macron T-Slot Sensor Kits are the latest addition to our automation accessory product line,” Craig Marshall said, Executive Vice President of Macron Dynamics. “These are the same high-quality sensors our engineers use when manufacturing custom automation systems and they can now be purchased on Macron’s website.”

The new T-Slot Sensors from Macron are inductive proximity sensors made for a seamless, low-profile installation to the ‘T’ found in Macon’s extruded aluminum beams utilized in gantry systems, MacFRAME machine framing, screw actuators, and belt actuators. These sensors will fit any eight millimeter wide t-slot.

The latest T-Slot Sensor Kits install easily in all MacFRAME aluminum beams, screw actuators, belt drives, and Macron actuators. Using T-nut capture and adjustability, the sensors fit perfectly to the actuator beam T-slot and give a low profile mounting.

Installation is done with a simple t-nut capture and screw, which allows adjustability and provides a secure fit. Its attached cord that relays information into a control system can be routed via a t-slot to make a clean system by not obstructing moving components.

The latest T-slot sensors are 24 V DC and available in NPN and PNP output transistor logic with NC (“normally closed”) or NO (“normally open”) configuration. Moreover, a quick connect or disconnect cord is embedded in each kit in lengths of two, six, ir 12 meters. All mating cord and sensors sets meet NEMA 1, 3, 4, 6P, and IEC IP67 ratings.

The latest T-Slot Sensors from Macron can provide manufacturers with output, position, or limit signaling into a control system making them more useful for a wide range of multi-axis, single-axis, robotics and automation applications.

Motion Control Tips

While the automation market is full of six-axis type applications, it became clear to the company what the market actually needed was a great control platform with a six-axis arm.

The latest EPSON Pro-Six PS3-AS00 utilizes the same EPSON RC520 PC-based controller that controls EPSON EZ Modules (“Linear Modules”) and E2 Series Robots (“SCARA”) thus allowing machine users to take advantage of a single control solution for the entire factory. With a 791-millimeter (“701-millimeter at the wrist center”) reach, high performance Sigma III-AC servo motors, the famous servo control from EPSON, and EPSON RC520 PC-based controller, the Pro-Six can solve even the most demanding six-axis type applications.

The EPSON Pro-Six PS3-AS00 high points features the same easy to use PC-based controls utilized with all EPSON Robots, a rigid design for smooth, high-speed motion with precise position settling and high-performance absolute encoders

Its compact design requires only minimal installation space and has ceiling, wall and floor mounting configurations. It has outstanding path control capabilities with two Pro-Six (“six-axis”) robots controllable from one RC520 controller and one Pro-Six (“six-axis”) robot plus two EPSON E2 SCARA Robots (“or 8 EZ modules axes”) controllable from one RC520 controller.

Also, the new EPSON Pro-Six PS3-AS00 high points features a high-performance EPSON Robots Servo Control which provides maximum performance, and has fully integrated EPSON RC+ Options (“Profibus, DeviceNet, Force Sensing, VB Guide, Vision Guide, etc.”). It meets the ANSI/RIA 15.06-1999 safety standard, as well as CE mark.

Motion Control Tips

The MH-series robots can be placed in close proximity to equipment and workpieces through wide-work envelopes with small-interference zones, reducing floorspace requirements. The series have embedded brakes on all axes and they can be ceiling-, floor- or wall-mounted for layout flexibility.

The MH50 model has six axes, payload of 50 kg (“110.3 lb”), a horizontal reach of 2,061 mm (“81.1 in.”) and a vertical reach of 3,578 mm (“140.9 in.”), and a repeatability of 0.07 mm (“0.003 in.”). The MH50-35 model also has six axes, payload of 35 kg (“77.2 lb”), horizontal reach of 2,538 mm (“100 in.”) and vertical reach of 4,448 mm (“175.1 in.”), and a repeatability of 0.07 mm (“0.003 in.”). While a MH50-20 has six axes, 20 kg (“44.1 lb”) payload, 3,106 mm (“122.3 in.”) horizontal reach and 5,585 mm (“219.9 in.”) vertical reach, and 0.15 mm (“0.006 in.”) repeatability.

The MH50-20, MH50-35 and MH50 models use powerful, next-generation DX100 controller from Motoman with patented multiple-robot control technology to handle multiple tasks and to easily control communication protocols, I/O devices and up to eight robots (“72 axes”). The DX100 features a robust PC architecture that includes an unmatched memory capacity and it uses a Windows CE programming pendant with colored touch screen. It features quicker processing speeds for accelerated Ethernet communication, faster I/O response, built-in collision avoidance, advanced robot arm motion and smoother interpolation. The controller’s extensive I/O suite with HMI pendant displays and integral PLC, 2,048 I/O as well as a graphical ladder editor, which can give system level control. This energy-saving controller can support all major fieldbus networks. An ANSI/RIA 15.06-1999 compliant, the DX100 controller also has an ISO and CSA safety standards.

Motion Control Tips

Both robotic arms can work together on a single task to double the payload requirement or handle heavy, unwieldy pallets, parts or trays. The ability to use two independent robotic arms to process parts cuts down the need for costly custom fixturing and permits end-of-arm tooling to be less costly and simple. Motoman’s SDA-series dual-arm robots can hold one part as one of the arm is operating on the part with the other arm and it can transfer one part from one arm to another, no need to set the part down.

SDA-series robots’ actuator-based design means that the brake, reducer, encoder and motor for each robot axis that are combined in a small, lightweight but powerful package which is smaller compared with a traditional AC servomotor drive. The advantages include high-wrist moment and inertia ratings, a slim arm profile and lightweight robot body.

SDA-series robots from Motoman are controlled by the Motoman DX100 robot and a system-level controller which uses patented multiple-robot-control technology to handle multiple tasks like control of up to eight robots (“72 axes”) and I/O devices, as well as communication protocols easily. Featuring a strong PC hardware architecture, Motoman’s DX100 controller uses a Windows CE programming pendant with colored touch screen.

Motion Control Tips

Both Maxon and National Instruments recognize that advancements in each respective area of expertise are complementary and look to provide designers with state-of-the-art hardware and software solutions for developing new robotic products and applications. Maxon will continue to focus its R&D efforts on electric motors, sensors and motion controllers while National Instruments will leverage its LabVIEW platform, NI LabVIEW, NI SoftMotion Module, and CompactRIO.

Other notable robotic applications driven by Maxon motion control products include the Mars Rover by Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Da Vinci surgical robot by Intuitive Surgical and DARwin the humanoid robot (pictured) developed at RoMeLa, the Robotics & Mechanisms Laboratory at Virginia Tech University.

Motion Control Tips

Bill Allai of National Instruments was selected by the permanent board as its new Chair.

Andy Vogl of Kollmorgen, a Danaher Motion Company, was selected as Vice Chair. “In addition to the many current benefits of MCA membership we will be expanding our focus on motion control trends and technology advancements to help our members keep abreast of the industry. Look for future seminars, training, and other educational material in the months ahead,” said Allai.

Each of the following board members was elected to a two-year term:

Bill Allai, National Instruments
John Hegel, Minarik
Jesse Henson, Baldor Electric
Arun Jain, Siemens
Greg Johnston, Oriental Motor
Dan Jones, Incremotion Associates
John Mazurkiewicz, Consultant and Past MCA Chairman
John Payne, Yaskawa Electric America
Ray Siefert, Baumuller
Ken Sweet, Parker Hannifin
Andrew Vogl, Kollmorgen, a Danaher Motion Company

John Mazurkiewicz, formerly of Baldor Electric, served as the interim Chair since MCA’s founding. He hailed this first election as a major step forward for MCA. “The creation of a permanent board of directors elected by the members is strong evidence of the progress we have made as a trade group,” Mazurkiewicz said. “In fact, despite the tough year our industry faced in 2009, with sales down 30% or more, our membership actually increased by eight percent.”

One of MCA’s key initiatives in 2010 will be to expand the number of members in all categories, especially distributors. “Distributors play such an important role in the sales channel, they are so close to the end users, that it’s critical that we get them more actively involved with MCA,” said Jeffrey A. Burnstein, President of MCA.

Other key initiatives in 2010 include expanding MCA’s educational offerings, continued improvement of its Motion Control Online website and further enhancements to its quarterly statistics reports.

MCA also will play a major role in the expansion of the International Robots, Vision & Motion Control Show and Conference that will be held March 21-24, 2011, at McCormick Place in Chicago. The event will be collocated with ProMat, a major materials handling event that draws some 30,000 registrants.

“Exposing our members and their products to a larger audience of people interested in motion control and related factory automation technologies will greatly enhance the value of the show,” noted Burnstein.

MCA recently released its 2010 Membership Directory. To request a copy and for more information about MCA and its activities, visit Motion Control Online or contact MCA Headquarters at 734/994-6088.

Motion Control Association
www.motioncontrolonline.org

Motion Control Tips

From its headquarters in Sao Paulo, Yaskawa Elétrico do Brasil and its distributors provide motion and control products—including servo drives and motors, ac drives and motors, linear motion components, robotics components, controllers and network devices—to automation and process control industries throughout South America.

José Luiz Rubinato, General Director of Yaskawa Elétrico do Brasil, says that the Brasilian operation follows the Yaskawa quality policy – which is to place quality, continual improvement, and customer satisfaction at the forefront of everything we do. “All phases of Yaskawa Brasil’s business including research and development, production, quality control, sales and marketing and technical service are committed to delivering top quality products and service in Brasil and South America,” said Rubinato.

Yaskawa Electric America, Inc.
www.yaskawa.com

Motion Control Tips

“Unique to the EPSON C3 is our new SlimLine design which provides exceptionally advanced flexibility” stated Michael Ferrara, Director of EPSON Robots. “The enhanced new slim body and compact wrist design allows for greater motion range and less mechanical restrictions. The robot can easily reach into confined and restricted work spaces from many angles with smooth motion not achievable with similar sized competitive models.”

With the ability to maximize part throughput for even the most demanding cycle time requirements, C3 robots are up to 43% faster than similar sized competitor models and lead the industry with best in class cycle rates. The tight integration of powerful motors and amplifiers along with ultra high resolution feedback and superior controls provide unmatched motion performance including higher acceleration and deceleration rates as well as advanced linear interpolated motion.

Designed for maximum performance, C3 robots use ultra high quality components to achieve high rigidity in a light weight arm. All these industry leading characteristics make EPSON C3 robots the most flexible and unique compact 6 axis robots available in the market today.

Our low cost, high performance Micro PowerDrive RC180 Controller comes standard with EPSON C3 robots and provides the ultimate experience in ease of use, compact size, and reliability. In addition to all of these great features, the RC180 controller also provides our industry leading EPSON RC+ Controls software and lots of fully integrated options such as: Vision Guidance, .Net support, Profibus, DeviceNet, EtherNet/IP and much more.

EPSON C3 robots are ideal for small parts assembly, dispensing, lab automation, medical device assembly, machine tending, material handling, packaging, electronics and many other applications.

EPSON Robots
www.robots.epson.com/c3-series.htm

Motion Control Tips

Packaging robots execute tasks not found in other applications, so it would not suit to use program practices geared for an automotive or welding robot. Here’s a look at control strategies specific to packaging.

XPAK USA, LLC has designed a Schneider Electric-enabled robotic rainbow packer specifically to help contract packers and smaller manufacturers automate the repacking process.

What distinguishes a packaging robot from welding, material handling, painting and assembly robots, or the traditional SCARA, portal and articulated robot configurations with teach pendants mounted in safety cages out on the plant floor? For the most part, those industrial robots move heavy objects from Point A to Point B using mechanical end effectors to handle loads at relatively low speeds, constantly looking for collisions.

When a robot moves an engine block, programming issues revolve around picking up the block and moving it to a new position. Welding applications typically use an articulated robot with a wrist that necessitates that all six axes must synchronize around a radius – the tool center point (TCP).

Packaging applications rarely requires these two tasks – with the exception of a palletizing robot, which is a material handling or tertiary packaging application, since both primary and secondary packaging have been completed. Packaging robot configurations tend to be three-dimensional (delta 3) and two-dimensional (delta 2) arm configurations.

You could program a packaging robot using the same approaches used in automotive or welding, but a different control strategy works better.

The packaging difference
Belt tracking, belt collation, path planning, acceleration control, and customer specific kinematics are motion tasks specific to packaging.

Belt tracking — In many packaging applications, it is critical for a conveyor belt to keep moving. Therefore, a robot must track belt motion and calculate where a product on the belt will be after it is detected. This task often requires that a robot operate in a three-dimensional space; picking objects from a belt, orienting them, and placing them into a tray or case. In some cases, though, the size of the object (more than 1 lb) will require the use of a two-dimensional robot.

Belt collation — such as the classic dual belt – is found in 70% of packaging applications. Two dimensional robots are used here because you must stage the product.

Two dimensional robots with collation can perform several complex tasks.

Path planning — Collisions are not a high concern in packaging because the robot is harmonized with the rest of the equipment. But you are operating at high speeds — say, 70 picks per minute — so an optimal path can yield higher productivity.

In path planning, you draw a spline through space for the shortest distance and smoothest accelerations through that space, then store that as a planned path. From that path, the robot goes to pick positions and place positions with a standard software cam profile.

If you have programmed robots in automotive applications, for example, you probably used a teach pendant. This technique works in packaging too, but may not always be efficient for high speed operations.

YSTAR A+F’s massive ELAU-equipped 3-armed robotic tray packer operates at the opposite end of the spectrum, ideal for high volume applications.

Acceleration control — Once the path is planned, you command the robot to run it at a programmed speed. What speed is right? A customer may arbitrarily calcu

late a speed of 60 picks per minute. But they don’t know the G force at the vacuum point and on the product, so they can end up damaging or losing control of the product by applying excessive G force.

Acceleration (G force) control is a software function for programming the robot to a maximum speed while maintaining a specific G force in all control dimensions (up, down, front, back).

Customer kinematic — Off-the-shelf robots typically use a standard control package that includes program features for kinematics. Such a package, however, tends to limit an OEM’s flexibility to program the robot to a specific application not included in the standard package. Other robot designs encounter the same limitation, such as a global robot or a robot on a pedestal combining up and down and portal movements with a rotating base, a configuration often used for tool changers in CNC machines.

You could take a three-axis robot and add it to one of these robot formats. But a packaging robotic system is not just about adding robot types together, but adding uncommon mechanics — such as a crank transformation — to achieve a complex mechanical motion.

With many packaging robot systems, the control of all the different planes in space is core to the packaging machine, enabling the customer to program whatever is needed. Any unusual collection of mechanics can be changed into dimensions with however many degrees of robotic freedom, and programmed. The software that handles such programming is known as transformations. It gives the customer a way to articulate their kinematic.

Example packaging applications
Rainbow packs are the multi-flavor packs of beverages, yogurt, confections, snacks and other single serving size products. For profitability, they are largely repacked by hand at distribution centers and co-packer facilities — adding cost, time, the potential for shrinkage, and sometimes less than ideal secondary packages. As long as club stores and other influential retailers demand these variety packs, there will be a need to repack them more cost-effectively.

One way to handle this task is with robots, but not the familiar articulated robots found in palletizing and sometimes case packing applications. Instead, delta 2 and gantry-style robots make the most sense, along with sophisticated end of arm tooling that may be equipped with vacuum and servo actuation.

The XPAK USA, LLC introduced the Variety Pack Assembly System (V-PASS) at the most recent Pack Expo show using servo automation systems. The robot mechanisms descend upon filled single-flavor multipacks, pluck groupings out, and repack them into the openings it has created. The system suits smaller, regional contract packagers who make up the bulk of food industry co-packing.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is OYSTAR A+F’s massive SetLine packaging and sleeving machine. In operation at Germany’s Interpack show, the SetLine comprises three sets of twin delta 2 robot arms, two carriages on parallel tracks, and in rainbow configuration with up to four infeed conveyors.

Nuspark Engineering Inc. has mastered the art of the delta 2 robot for case packing, de-casing, orienting and feeding operations. The robot can even double throughput by adding a second ELAU robot arm on the same frame.

The first robot picks four groups of three tubs of one flavor from a tray on the first input conveyor. The tooling expands to place one tub into each of four fixtures. The robot arm then picks from the infeed conveyor until all four flavors are transferred into variety pack configurations.

Then the carriage indexes to the next station where a sleeve is picked, erected into the carriage and filled with cups by a second robot. At Station 3, a robot glues and seals the filled sleeves and places them into the trays on a discharge conveyor.

The SetLine machine is the ‘big brother’ of A+F’s TwinLine twin axis robot, believed to be the very first case packing delta 2 robot. It fits larger packaging operations, including food processing plants where products may be diverted from dedicated single flavor filling lines after tray/case packing to a separate rainbow line. The SetLine machine can just as easily be configured to pack single flavors on the main packaging lines.

The trend in packaging has been to shift away from third-party, general purpose robots in primary and secondary packaging applications to embedded robots implemented by packaging machine builders. Embedded robots are compact, offer good payloads and freedom of movement, are highly synchronized with the rest of the packaging machine, and they are applied with the OEM’s knowledge of the packaging process.

Case packing in particular has benefited from compact, self-contained delta 2 robots. A delta 2 robot from Nuspark Engineering Inc. can case pack, de-case empty bottles for filling, or orient and transfer packages from one belt to the next. A second arm can fit on the same frame, doubling throughput without any increase in footprint.

In all of these examples, an IEC-compliant automation control system replaces the traditional proprietary ‘black box’ robot controllers. Where complex kinematic algorithms are required, these are calculated behind the scenes, so programming is the same as for ‘normal’ servo packaging machines.

ELAU Packaging Solutions,
Schneider Electric
www.schneider-electric.us/solutions/packaging/

Motion Control Tips

Stäubli Robotics, manufacturers of innovative and technologically advanced industrial and cleanroom robots, announces the new TS series of high-speed SCARA robots. This next generation robotic line features 100% Stäubli design and engineering, and are among the fastest commercially available SCARA robots in the industry. Stäubli’s high performance benchmarks of speed, rigidity and precision are exemplified by this series which includes the TS40, TS60 and TS80 with a range of 400mm, 600mm, and 800mm reach and a payload of up to 8kg.

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The TS series is highly adaptable and well suited for a wide variety of high speed and precise applications including pick and place, material handling, packaging, assembly, loading, testing, and dispensing. These new robots increase productivity and throughput without giving up valuable floor space making them ideal for food, pharmaceutical/medical device, automotive, electronics, and many other industrial market segments.

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Motion Control Tips