Sustainable Plastics - November/December 2023 - 19

robots
resources and expertise to thoroughly
assess numerous different
makes and models. To aid
the decision-making process,
Fanuc has compiled a checklist
for companies to work through
when purchasing a cobot, helping
first-time buyers to navigate
the complexities to make the
right choice.
1. Establish the
business case
To determine whether an operation
would benefit from a
cobot, start by identifying the
pain points that are hindering
growth or performance. If staff
reliability, RSI, health and safety
concerns, a lack of labour or the
limitations of hard automation
feature on the list, then cobots
are a route worth exploring.
2. Identify potential
applications
The next step is to identify the applications
associated with these
pain points. What are the tasks
that are causing RSI? Which
health and safety hazards could
be removed, such as lifting/moving
heavy loads? Which are the
tasks humans don't want to do?
3. Evaluate the
applications
Score each application based on
the following considerations: Is
it a precision task? Are there uncomfortable
motions involved?
Does it result in high rejection
rates? Does it involve heavy
loads? Is a constant human
presence needed? Does the human
operator add any value? At
what speed does the task need
to be performed? From experience,
we know that welding,
pick and place, and machine
loading are often ideal candidates
for cobot applications.
4. Cover off
safety concerns
Assess the safety of the chosen
application: Does the cobot
need to be guarded, unguarded
or part guarded? Fanuc cobots,
depending on the application
Fanuc hits a robot milestone
Demand for industrial robots
also continues to grow unabated.
Fanuc recently shared the
news that it had manufactured
its 1 millionth industrial robot
since deploying its first robot
back in 1974.
While industrial robots
were traditionally used in the
automotive and electronics
industries, they have now become
prevalent in many other
industries, including food
and beverage, pharmaceutiand
risk assessment, can work
safely alongside humans unguarded
at speeds of up to
250mm per second, so speed is
a good indicator as to whether
a cobot is the right automation
solution for the task. That said,
it is not always clear-cut. Part
guarding or other safety devices
can be employed to enable
cobots to work alongside humans
at higher speeds. However,
if the application requires full
guarding, making it less flexible
and adding to the cost, a cobot
may not be the right solution.
5. Protect your
investment
The IFR considers the average
lifespan of a robot to be
12 years; studies suggest this
is a conservative estimate. To
protect your investment, it is
vital that you buy from a brand
that is still going to be around
in 13, 14, 15 or more years' time
and will support your cobot
throughout its lifespan. Ask
potential suppliers for the predicted
life of their cobot, how
long it will be supported for,
how future-proof it is in terms
of software and what warranty
they offer. For example, Fanuc's
CRX collaborative robot series
comes with an eight-year zero
maintenance guarantee.
6. Calculate payload
and reach
The biggest mistake companies
make with regard to payload is
going too low. Don't assume that
if a cobot has a payload of 5kg
it can lift an item weighing 5kg.
cals, aerospace and plastics.
Increasing labour shortages
and improved usability are
just some of the reasons behind
the rising popularity of
robotics across a range of
different sectors. System integrators
in the plastics sector
serve as a valuable link
between robot suppliers and
automation end users, providing
industry-specific automation
advice to help companies
improve their efficiency,
To work out the payload requirement,
calculate the total load on
the end of the arm (part, gripper,
fingers, etc.) whilst taking into
account offset payload and inertia.
When calculating reach, bear
in mind that working at full reach
limits the cobot's movement in
the robot wrist, so build in additional
margin.
7. Select sensors and
ancillary equipment
If your application requires 2D or
3D vision, then consider where
you want to mount the camera
(remotely or on the cobot). If the
cobot will always pick from the
same area, then a remote-mounted
camera is best mounted over
the pick area, whereas a cobot-mounted
camera will offer
more flexibility. Force sensors,
which give the cobot 'feel' functionality,
can be internal or external.
The use of vision will not
only offer more flexibility but also
reduce the cost of fixturing required
to position parts.
8. Evaluate your
environment
If you are planning on using the
cobot in a food production environment,
then IP rating and
washdown protection must be
taken into consideration. If the
cobot is intended for use in a
dusty or dirty environment or
is likely to come into contact
with machine coolant, then a
high protection rating (IP67 or
above) will be required. When
enquiring about IP ratings,
make sure that they apply to
the entire unit, including the
as well as building standard
or bespoke automation systems
that allow manufacturers
to benefit from the latest
robotic technology.
" Demand for our robots is
currently at an all-time high, "
noted Marco Ghirardello, the
president and CEO of Fanuc
Europe. " Applications for robots
are expanding, and the
demand is expected to continue
to grow significantly in
the future. "
controls, not just the arm. Every
model in Fanuc's CRX range is
IP67 rated and the food version
is covered in a white epoxy
coating with food-grade grease,
making it safe for use in food
production facilities.
9. Consider connectivity
Does the cobot need to communicate
with other equipment,
such as CNC machines, part
feeding systems, grippers or vision
systems? If so, specifying
the cobot with the same communication
protocol as peripheral
equipment will save cost and
integration time. If possible, keep
it simple by using standard I/O.
However, some applications require
Fieldbus as it enables larger
amounts of data to be communicated
to peripheral equipment.
10. Plan for the future
Finally, think about how flexible
the cobot is for meeting any
future needs. Will it be able to
accommodate new applications
and growth? Does it have software
that can be updated and
supported? Also, bear in mind
that buying from a company
that solely manufactures cobots
means that if in future an industrial
robot is needed, there will
be a new learning curve.
There is a lot at stake when
purchasing a cobot for the first
time. As well as driving productivity
and health and safety
performance improvements, a
positive experience will pave
the way for further automation
of more profitable applications
and inspire employees as the
company continues on its automation
journey.
November/December 2023
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Sustainable Plastics - November/December 2023

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