Robot arms - what to look for!

[vwmark]

Hi. At very short notice I have to sit on a presentation on some equipment that uses a robot arm for packing.

All I know is its an ABB arm who generally produce good equipment but what goes wrong and what questions should I be asking?

Anyone???

 

[Parm]

@Robotstar5 is your man

 

[WorkshopChris]

How will the arm interface with machine operators or staff? pressure mats, light beams, optical sensors. Real-time vision software.
Any foundation requirements or site prep?

 

[Robotstar5]

Generally, as long as the arm and it's control cabinet get their annual service they pretty much last for ever. The weak point is normally the end effector (bolted to end of arm) which needs to be properly designed for the task it's planned to do. A decent systems integrator that has used ABB robots before is a bonus.

 

[vwmark]

Its a complete bagging process supplied by one company so intergration shouldnt be a problem. Just wondered about the arm as it needs to run 80 hours a week - moving 18kg bags every 3 seconds.

 

[sasquar]

we run a handful of (old) abb robots in just about the worst environments possible, (irb1500, & 2000's, running s3/s4 software, think early-mid 90's) and they are pretty much bulletproof. They live inside our thermal spray cubicles, doing the torch handling, so are exposed to some pretty nasty temps (enough to melt the plastic cover on the top arm in one case!) and some truly horrendous materials in dust form, moly, tungsten carbide, chrome oxide etc, all of which they live through just fine. The only real weak point they have is the boards in the control cabinets, which occasionally die and are now completely obsolete, with no schematics available for reapirs. So far we've always been able to source these second hand, but i doubt very much if this is going to be an issue youre likely to come across unless youre using old stuff like we do!!

 

[awemawson]

Sasquar, when we ran process control computers at various British Steel plants immediately adjacent to the blast furnaces we had lots of card failures due to build up of conductive dust despite filtering and regular routine maintenance blowing them clean. The solution was very simple - all the cards were sprayed with a conformal coating and the problem went away over night ! (don't get it on edge connectors)

http://uk.farnell.com/ambersil/6130004030/acrylic-con-coating-400ml/dp/1666251

 

[sasquar]

Sasquar, when we ran process control computers at various British Steel plants immediately adjacent to the blast furnaces we had lots of card failures due to build up of conductive dust despite filtering and regular routine maintenance blowing them clean. The solution was very simple - all the cards were sprayed with a conformal coating and the problem went away over night ! (don't get it on edge connectors)

http://uk.farnell.com/ambersil/6130004030/acrylic-con-coating-400ml/dp/1666251

Cheers, that looks like it'll be within budget for this place, ill give it a go!!

 

[MrFluffy]

Conformel is great and also helps improve vibration resistance on discreet components, you can get a special disolving solution for it if someone needs to do board level repairs afterwards too.

 

[Agrismith]

Would it be rm group supplying the setup??

 

[winchman]

I would ask about parts supply, we have one machine at work and its built out of the RS catalogue so bits are really easy, whilst some others are built using bespoke components so its easily obsolete and bits can be difficult and on long lead times.
I would also get the package to include comprehensive training

 

[Pete.]

Be careful there are a lot of chinese knock-offs about

 

[sg66]

I thought it was going to be a pub question so I'm out.

 

[Robotstar5]

Its a complete bagging process supplied by one company so intergration shouldnt be a problem. Just wondered about the arm as it needs to run 80 hours a week - moving 18kg bags every 3 seconds.

Our ABB 6600's run continuously from 0600 Monday to 2100 Friday plus most Sunday mornings with 50kg+ bolted to the end and cycle every 90 seconds. They just get an annual service form ABB, most of the issues are gripper sensor related.

 

[vwmark]

Would it be rm group supplying the setup??

No.