Special purpose press shop robots from KUKA

Special purpose press shop robots from KUKA

KUKA Welding Systems +Robot Limited, which have some 200 industrial robots installed in press shops worldwide for the handling of components between presses, loading presses and for palletisation, have introduced a new robot specially for press shop automation applications.

This robot, currently available in two payload variants, can transfer components from one press to another at up to 8.5 metres between centres in a return cycle time of just five seconds. What is more, they can maintain an accuracy of repeatability of ±0.5mm for the consistent location of the pressing in the on-going press tool.

Known as the KR 60 P and the KR 100 P they can carry payloads of 60 or 100kg at the wrist with supplementary loads on the arm of 30 or 50kg.

To meet the varied demands of press shop automation, the new KUKA robots are completely flexible in application and can be floor mounted, shelf mounted or assembled in an inverted position.

Both robots function with the new state-of-the-art KRC1 controller, a compact stackable unit in which the swing frame mounted PC and the slide frame amplifiers are easily accessed.

The new KUKA robot controller, KRC1, is unique in being the first to represent a PC solution and to work with the graphic operator environment "Windows 95", in conjunction with the controller operating systems VxWorks, in a real-time mode.

A KUKA KR 100P press linking robot

This architecture opens up a broad spectrum of capabilities for the practically oriented operation of robot systems, e.g. master/ slave, extending as far as remote operation and remote diagnosis via Ethernet. All types of field bus systems can be supported for integrated operation with power press controls.

For further information contact KUKA Welding Systems + Robot Limited, Hereward Rise, Halesowen, West Midlands B62 8AN. Tel: 0121 585 0800.