The exhibition stand of RoboJob immediately stands out upon entering Brussels Expo, the location of the second edition of the MTMS tradeshow. RoboJob presents its - now widely known - flexible and user-friendly standard products, who know their application in the automatic loading of CNC machines. But what is striking this time, is that the robots are no longer in the FANUC yellow, but they have been transformed in the light gray which is also typical for the tables of RoboJob’s Turn-Assist and Mill-Assist Series. A sober look, and that deserves some explanation.
Light grey robots
"Yes indeed, we have given our robots a new 'Look & Feel'," co-founder and -CEO Helmut De Roovere explains. "And obviously, we have done so with a very good reason. We want to ensure that our robots stand out from other robots, because we have programmed a lot of intelligence into them. That makes the 'RoboJob robots’ more flexible, accurate and efficient than the average robot."
“On the 'RoboJob robots’, you can adjust the clamping force of the grippers, adjust the speed of execution, pause or restart the robot at any time, and you can let the robot return to his ‘home’ position with a single push on the button. We also indicate where an alarm occurs, and one can not only seize a work piece at its center, but also outside of the center (eccentric)," De Roovere points out.
In addition, you can discharge from the sub spindle, and work pieces can be loaded and unloaded under a certain angle and rotation. The operator can also easily customize the loading strategy so that a work piece can be pressed against the stop, or that it can be operated without stop. Barbreak functions, creating your own grabs in the software, measuring after X work pieces or the ever important pre- and post-processes: the list of standard features seems endless at RoboJob.
To increase accuracy, the Belgian automation specialist has programmed a weight compensation into the software of the robot, so that the robot can remain as accurate when loading and unloading heavier work pieces. And upon installation, a RoboJob-specific calibration technology is applied, wherein the entire working area of the robot is mapped, after it has been installed. "These data are stored in the software, and the robot uses it to perform every movement even more precise," explains De Roovere. "And we have also developed our RoboJob software in such a way that all calculations are done while the robot is working. As such, it always thinks one step ahead during execution, so no second is lost, and the robot proceeds even faster and more efficiently. "
Pre- and post-processing
In addition, RoboJob now also enables easy programming of the so-called ‘pre- and post-processes' in the Turn-Assist software: with only a few clicks, the operator can determine what exactly the robot must do: washing a finished piece, punching a serial number or deburring a finished piece. When the ‘PALLET-UNLOAD' option is added, the robot can also prepare a new pallet to position new pieces onto it, for example by positioning a piece of cardboard between the different layers. Naturally, to do so, the necessary hardware equipment should be available.
The software was designed so that the operator can determine all of these tasks quickly and easily. Moreover, these tasks can be saved with a specific name so that the next time, they can easily be recalled and once again, time is won.
It is clear that RoboJob has once again kept its promise to unveil new innovations. Most striking is that the Belgian market has presented a new corporate identity, so that the flexibility, accuracy and efficiency are literally communicated in the colour of the robot. Telling from the high number of visitors at the RoboJob booth, as well as from their enthusiastic reactions, it is clear that the message has come across.
You will find RoboJob at Booth 10 at the MTMS Tradeshow at Brussels Expo until Friday, 27 March 2015. You can find all the RoboJob products, technical information and prices at the RoboJob booth.
