Citation
(1999), "Seventh axis gets robot on the move", Industrial Robot, Vol. 26 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.1999.04926cad.002
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 1999, MCB UP Limited
Seventh axis gets robot on the move
To give increased flexibility to the S420i heavy duty robot, Coventry-based FANUC Robotics have added the option of a seventh axis, linear slide (see Plate 2). This can be supplied in increments of 1,000mm up to a maximum of 20m plus.
Plate 2 Additional seventh axis enhances robot flexibility
According to FANUC, using a seventh axis slide can, in the right circumstances, eliminate an additional robot from a welding cell by moving an under-utilised robot between two positions. Alternatively, on longer assemblies it can be used to combine two weld operations into one by repositioning the robot.
With the seventh axis slide a positional accuracy of +0.4mm is maintained. The $420i performance remains the same with a maximum end of arm load of 175kg. The linear axis is controlled from the standard FANUC RJ control system. Programming can be off-line or via the teach pendant.
As well as making for more efficient spot welding, the slide can also be used to improve performance in materials handling and assembly applications.
Using the linear slide, the robot can pick case or carton from a number of parallel product lines to build a pallet load of mixed cartons.
Contact: Maurice Hanley, FANUC Robotics (UK) Ltd, Seven Stars Industrial Estate Wheler Road, Coventry, CV3 4LB, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1203 639669; Fax: +44 (0) 1203 304333.