Industrial Robot Finder Tool: Continual Advancements
Industrial robots have been a part of manufacturing for
decades. That’s because many businesses—both large and
small—have found useful, profitable applications that range
from
spot welding to packing, assembly and moving heavy payloads. Every
day,
even the smallest companies are integrating different uses of robots
into their processes. Large businesses are building entire plants
and
warehouses around systems using industrial robots—both
traditional
robots and collaborative
robots (cobots).
FANUC’s growing family of robot models help keep the
industry moving. Logistics and mail-order services use pick
and pack robots to sort and move packages quickly. The auto
industry is famous for using industrial robots to improve welding
quality and speed, and for painting
and coating. Modern forges use foundry
robots for everything from pouring molten metals to
micro-polishing finished products. A growing number of food
processors
use robots
for food and beverage handling in a wide variety of
applications, including primary handling such as fruit picking and
frosting cakes, as well as secondary food packaging and palletizing
applications.
Not only does FANUC have the widest range of robot models
in
the industry to meet any need or specification, but FANUC robots are
now
more adaptable. An extensive range of models and axis configurations
are
available in a greater variety of configurations than ever. Our
newest
models can conduct some of the gentlest product handling possible
and
are able to handle even the slightest tolerances. If you’re
looking to find a robot model to become a part of your manufacturing
process, you’ve come to the right place.
Advances in FANUC technology also mean that our robots are
now
more reliable than ever. FANUC’s IIoT Solutions such as FANUC
Zero Down Time (ZDT) help track the health and maintenance
needs
of your FANUC robots, which translates into higher uptime, decreased
downtime, and increased production and overall profitability.
Utilizing
FANUC ZDT on FANUC industrial robots will lead to lower overall
Total
Cost of Ownership (TCO) - an important metric to analyze when
purchasing
a robot or robotic system. TCO is important for evaluating the costs
that aren’t presented in upfront pricing when purchasing an
industrial robot. FANUC ZDT helps lower TCO by analyzing robot
performance and catching maintenance and repair/parts issues before
an
issue occurs. FANUC ZDT will also help improve Operational Equipment
Efficiency (OEE), or the measure of manufacturing time that is truly
productive.
FANUC industrial robots are also incredibly flexible. When
you
explore the uses for our robots you’ll discover their
articulation, dexterity and ability for programmed manipulation is
exceptional. FANUC offers industrial robots that can work with
various
payloads, capacities and reaches, all while operating precisely and
consistently, staying within the tightest tolerances. When combined
with
cutting-edge software and superior controllers, FANUC’s
robotic
solutions can transform a manufacturer’s capabilities,
capacity
and success.
Who Needs Industrial Robots?
While automating part or all your manufacturing processes
may
feel intimidating, for many businesses it’s the beginning of a
new
era. Incorporating a robot into your production is an effective way
to
deal with chronic labor shortages. By replacing low-skill, dangerous
and/or repetitive work tasks with top industrial robots, businesses
can
reduce turnover rates. Articulated robots can also trim overall
costs
and shorten production time.
Using robots for activities that require repetitive action, speed and
accuracy, manufacturers can exponentially increase the productivity
of
many types of processes in their production facilities. Robots can
also
have positive effects on the health, safety and wellbeing of workers
by
performing tasks that are repetitive, dirty and dangerous. FANUC
America
provides industry-leading robotics
training to manufacturers that automate their processes
using
FANUC robots.
What Types of Robots Are Available?
What kind of robots are there? FANUC offers more industrial
robots than anyone in the industry, with the most payload capacity
and
reach options. FANUC robots are well-suited for taking on automation
tasks—from very simple to very complex.
Industrial robots were first designed to serve the automotive
sector. In modern plants, you’ll still see
hundreds—even thousands—of heavy-duty 6-axis robots
working
on a variety of manufacturing tasks, including painting,
arc
welding and spot
welding.
Industries that are seeking ways to achieve high-speed
assembly of small intricate parts can also benefit from the
right kind of robot to help speed up the assembly processes without
sacrificing precision.
The flexibility of robot arms allows production lines to
refine
their workflow and increase productivity by eliminating the need for
expensive, fixed-automation solutions. Robot arms enable managers to
create a system that is as simple or complex as your operations
require.
By combining different FANUC models and tasks, you can create a
robotic
system that is truly built to your needs. Our designs are robust and
functional, offering a wide range of robot reach and allowing for
almost
endless combinations and customizations.
When considering robots, another item to consider is
peripheral
equipment that may make your process even more efficient and
profitable.
These peripherals include force sensing for applications that
require
extreme precision and robotic
vision solutions for applications like bin picking and
inspection. All these options are available in every robot model
FANUC
has to offer and can be useful in a wide range of applications and
industries.
In the robot selection process, remember that a robot arm
is
especially popular to handle repetitive tasks that present ergonomic
hazards to humans such as lifting, screwing, torqueing or
pounding.
There are many industrial robot examples. Industrial robots
have great dexterity, allowing them to be put to work in a variety
of
complex tasks, such as complex bin picking and random pick and
place,
load and transfer, handling consumer products, handling packing and
shipping, complex assembly line tasks, assisting in material
removal,
dispensing and many other complex tasks.
What kind of robots are there? Some examples of possible
applications include:
-
Depalletizing products from
a
supply position
-
Transporting parts to the
assembly line and interfacing with an assembly machine
before removing the finished section
-
Bin picking systems for
order
fulfillment automation
-
Singulating items shipped
in
bulk
-
Quality inspection
-
Part assembly, accessing
parts
from multiple containers
-
Replenishing or replacing
bins
Not Sure Which Robot Model to Choose?
Before you decide what kind of specific robot you would like to have,
you
need to explore a list of specifications and considerations. Our
robot
finder tool helps you search through 100-plus FANUC robot models by
selecting payload, reach and axes requirements. When thinking about
what
application of robot you want to use, a variety of variables must be
considered.
Payload
The weight, capacity and inertia of the task will all be important
considerations when selecting a robot arm. Be sure to investigate
the
energy needed to move objects and select the size and capacity that
best
suits your needs.
Articulation
How will your robot arm need to move? Consider the articulation of
the
robot arm and the type of motion required before making any
decisions on
your robot model. At FANUC, “articulated” represents the
cylindrical workspace envelope in which the robot operates, and the
axes
and joints that move within it. You may also want to consider robot
models designed to work side-by-side with your employees. Our
industry-leading line of collaborative
robots are completely safe to work around, requiring no
safety
guarding.
End of Arm Tooling (EOAT)
This may be one of the most important decisions in your robot
selection
process. Which end-effector will your task(s) require? Does the
operation need a gripper finger, vacuum cup or gripper arm?
Cycle Time and Precision
Each robot has some performance limitations, but they generally far
exceed human ability. FANUC and our team of Authorized System
Integrators (ASIs) are dedicated to helping customers meet and
exceed
desired cycle times through the use of robotic automation.
Adaptability
Most manufacturers must evolve and change over time. When bringing
new
robots into the process, consider the restrictions and opportunities
that exist within your manufacturing facility. At FANUC, we want to
make
sure that our robots and automation systems are designed to adapt to
the
needs of your workforce.
Energy Requirements
Most FANUC robot arms can run on a single-phase power. Overall, they
require low energy consumption, contributing to a low total cost of
ownership.
What Does It Mean When a Robot’s Axis Is Listed?
When selecting a robot and going through lists of
industrial
robot examples, you’ll find that the number of axes is
essential.
The more axes a robot commands, the higher degree of freedom (DOF)
they
possess in their movements.
If a robot has three degrees of freedom, it can move within
the
X-Y-Z axes. It won’t be able to tilt or turn, however. More
axes
(and more DOF) mean more ability to move about within a defined
space.
Calculating space and the DOF of your system is critical. Once you
purchase a robot, you must work within the given number of axes.
Adding
supplementary axes after the fact is extremely complex and not
recommended.
More axes does not necessarily make a robot arm better for
the
job, however. When comparing a 4-axis, 5-axis, 6-axis and 7-axis
robot,
there are many factors to consider.
A 4-axis robot has motion in X-Y-Z and a rotational motion
about the Z-axis. This limited range of motion, however, enables
engineers to build it in ways that can lift and move tremendous
loads.
Although it has limited DOF, it can have a significant center of
gravity.
Adding an axis increases the DOF but can create other
challenges. Once arms are moving in many ways, the articulation, or
space needed to operate, may increase. You may get more articulation
but
less robot reach. It’s harder to balance a highly articulated
robot finder arm, so it sometimes must be mounted to a larger cage
or
structure to stabilize or even become part of a more massive
structure.
A 6-axis robot has the most articulation. A 6-axis robot
can
move forward and back, up and down. It can yaw, pitch and roll to
offer
more directional control. In fact, this complex set of movements can
simulate the motions of a human arm. That means the robot can do
things
like grab small items from a shelf and put it on a conveyor. A
6-axis
robot can also be programmed to do a wider variety of tasks.
Although 6-axis robots are free to reach every location
available in space, a 7-axis robot allows you to arrive at an end
effector position with several joint configurations. It is used to
avoid
singularities and be able to work around barriers.
When it comes to 12- and 13-axis robots, two 6-axis robots
are
joined together to form a two-armed, specific robot. If the base can
rotate around itself, this gives it the “13th” axis. But
any
axis number higher than six is a “redundant” robot,
adding
axis that replicates an existing axis. When you start thinking about
what kind of robot you would like to have, remember that
combinations
are exciting but can also be complicated. FANUC can help you think
through all the considerations.
Use Our Robot Finder Tool to Learn More
What kind of robot would you like to have? FANUC offers a
wide
selection of components and options that can be programmed and
combined
in almost endless numbers of combinations.
Find the right FANUC industrial robot for your needs using
our
handy robot finder tool below. Simply drag the bars left or right to
select a robot model by payload, reach and/or number of axes. You
can
also select a specific FANUC industrial robot series on the left
side of
the screen and see all the available robot models for that
series.
We’ll help you find a robot series, find a robot by
payload, look for applications of robot, find collaborative
robot applications, find a delta robot, find a SCARA
robot or search for robot models. FANUC has the right option
for
your business' next game-changing innovation.