Machine tools and KUKA robots machine components for KUKA robots

“In this hall, the robots work on the various components that we need to produce our robots,” says Rainer Eder-Spendier, Administrator for Automation and Robotics, in summary. Among other things, the robots machine and process base frames, rotating columns and link arms. The components are assembled in the adjacent robot assembly shop. Since the robots carry out the loading and unloading of the lathes, production has few operators and can even be unmanned for a certain period of time.

As an example of this, three machine tools from Grob are installed in one cell. The worker clamps the workpiece to be processed in a clamping fixture and then onloads it into the cell together with the pallet and fixture. Here, a KR 600 R2830 KR FORTEC takes care of the linking of the individual steps. The robot approaches the three machines via a linear unit and also transports the material from the machine tool to the reworking cell where the metal parts are finished. Finally, the robot returns the finished part to the operator position. Maximum acceleration and short cycle times when changing parts in limited space are only possible through the use of KUKA.SafeOperation. 

In another cell, a KR 500 L480-3 MT KR FORTEC is used for the loading and unloading of two Heller machines. The robot is installed on a linear unit for this purpose. Four feeder stations supply the raw materials. As soon as processing has been completed in the machine, the robot removes the part and deburrs it at the changeover station. Finally, the robot sets the part down on a turntable.

Similar to a smart watch, the robots and machines collect a wide array of data and transmit these data to the cloud. The data collected by the KUKA robot can then, for example, be processed and evaluated via KUKA Connect. In this way, it is possible to have full visibility and exercise full control over the current production process at all times.