FANUC America Demonstrates Cutting-Edge Automation Solutions at NPE 2024

For Immediate Release

Rochester Hills, MI – (April 9, 2024) Automation leader FANUC America will demonstrate its latest robots, cobots, and industrial automation at NPE2024. Visit Booth #W773 to see cutting-edge solutions, including the ROBOSHOT electric injection molding machine - all designed to help plastics manufacturers maximize productivity and their global competitive position.

Mike Cicco, President and CEO of FANUC America will deliver the opening keynote address at NPE - Unlocking the Potential: Robotics, AI and Automation in the New Tech Era. His address will focus on how robotics and automation advancements are revolutionizing the plastics industry, and the exciting future of human-machine collaboration.

“I hope attendees gain a better understanding of the transformative power of emerging technologies, especially AI, robotics, and automation,” said Cicco. “My goal is to help companies recognize the central role automation plays in driving efficiency, precision, and scalability across various industries. I encourage more people to explore the possibilities of automation solutions to overcome production challenges and stay competitive.”

Experience FANUC’s Popular CRX Cobots

FANUC CRX cobots are ideal solutions for boosting productivity, especially for small- to medium-sized companies moving into automation. Their reliability (eight years, zero maintenance), flexibility, and ease of implementation make them an excellent choice for various high-mix, low-volume tasks in plastics manufacturing.

At NPE, a CRX-10iA with integrated iRVision® and force control will simulate deburring plastic parts.

FANUC P-40iA Paints Plastics Parts

A P-40iA paint robot, equipped with the R-30iB Plus Mate controller, demonstrates painting plastic parts using coordinated motion with a turntable. As the robot rotates a full 360 degrees, it ensures coverage on all sides of the parts. The setup includes the robot, and purged motor box (PMB) for aux axis control in a hazardous area. Coordinated motion maintains precise control over the robot and part rotation, preventing overspray.

The FANUC P-40iA robot features a 1,300 mm reach, 5 kg payload, and a compact arm design suitable for small work areas. It includes a cast aluminum body, purged and pressurized arm, FANUC’s purge module, and integrated solenoid valves for gun trigger. Whether for liquid, powder, FRP chop, or gel applications, the P-40iA is a versatile painting solution. Additionally, it can be mounted in various positions (floor, invert, wall, or angle) and programmed offline using FANUC’s PaintTool robot software.

FANUC has been manufacturing paint robots in the U.S. since 1982 at its Rochester Hills, Michigan headquarters.

FANUC ROBOSHOT Tended by a FANUC LR Mate Robot

The FANUC ROBOSHOT Electric Injection Molding Machine is a game-changer in plastics manufacturing. The ROBOSHOT takes state-of-the-art CNC precision technology from CNC turning and CNC milling and applies it to electric injection molding. The results are greater acceleration, ultimate precision of movement and extremely short cycle times to produce large quantities of consistently high-quality parts.

At NPE, FANUC will demonstrate a ROBOSHOT 55iB tended by a FANUC LR Mate 200iD Robot. The demonstration highlights FANUC's Robot ON-SITE which enables a robot to control the functionality and actions through robotic programming with the ability to “talk” to the CNC G-code program. This feature enables machine tools, even legacy machines, to be easily connected to robots using just one Ethernet cable.

Industrial Automation Demonstrations

FANUC will highlight its latest Industrial Automation – all comprehensive solutions for increased productivity and efficiency, including:

• MT-LINKi, a fully scalable, out-of-the-box machine tool monitoring solution that can monitor, collect, and manage data from one to two-thousand machines. The demonstration showcases MT-LINKi’s ability to connect to FANUC CNCs, FANUC robots, MTConnect and OPC-UA protocol.
• See FANUC’s high-performance 0i-MODEL-F Plus CNC with iHMI and servo systems seamlessly integrated with a Laguna iQ desktop CNC router. Equipped with MT-LINKi and FASData connectivity, the display shows how well the machine, control and drives all work together to bring unbeatable value in reliability and accuracy. The demonstration highlights new features including Multi-Tool capability, Remote Monitoring function and Machine State Logging function.
• Levil Lathe - FANUC CNCs are used in several mills and lathes made by Levil Technology – all robust machines perfect for cutting wood, plastic, and metal. At NPE, FANUC will demonstrate the 0i-TF CNC controlling a Levil LTC-30 lathe. This turning application will highlight FANUC Servo Learning Oscillation Function for chip breaking, threading, and ease of use.

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About FANUC America Corporation

FANUC America Corporation is a subsidiary of FANUC CORPORATION in Japan and provides industry-leading CNC systems, robotics, and ROBOMACHINEs. FANUC’s innovative technologies help manufacturers maximize productivity, reliability, and profitability. Headquartered in Rochester Hills, Michigan, FANUC America has facilities throughout North and South America. Learn more at www.fanucamerica.com or explore collaborative robots at crx.fanucamerica.com.

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