By August 18, 2014 Read More →

Compact robot achieves faster spot welding

140818_KawasakiFor spot welding applications where space is limited, either in standalone cells or in densely populated robot cells, and where faster welding speeds are important, Kawasaki Robotics the new B-Series robot. The latest in the company’s spot welding robot range, Kawasaki says the B-Series is a completely new design, built from the ground up.

Kawasaki says a lightweight arm design and high-output motors, together with anti-vibration control technology, have helped to reduce the time needed for short-pitch movements. Two payload variants, 100kg and 200kg, provide repeatability of ±0,2mm and linear speeds of 5m per second, making the range ideal for high-volume spot welding requirements.

The common problem of snagged dress package cables, in crowded cells, has been overcome by integrating the cable into the new B-Series robot. The arm and wrist of the robot are hollow allowing the internal routing of cable from the base through to the wrist. In addition to preventing in process snagging this speeds up on-site programming and eliminates ‘cable positioning variables’ to make off-line programming more efficient.

Further enhancing suitability of the B-Series for spot-welding is its small footprint of 0.5m width and slim arm. Combined with the integrated cable, the compact design allows greater efficiency when populating confined spaces with multiple robots.

Using the latest Kawasaki E42 the B-Series robot has highly accurate trajectory control and faster programming execution. Supporting the robot’s small footprint the E42 controller also offers a compact design. Additional axes control is available for applications requiring synchronised manipulation during the weld process.

Visit the Kawasaki website for more information.

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