Hexapods at EMO 99 PARIS

Citation

(1999), "Hexapods at EMO 99 PARIS", Industrial Robot, Vol. 26 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.1999.04926fab.005

Hexapods at EMO 99 PARIS

Hexapods at EMO 99 PARIS

The marriage of traditional metal cutting machines tools and robots celebrated a three-year anniversary of sorts at EMO 99 in Paris. In 1996, Ingersol Milling exhibited a robotic-hexapod type metal cutting machine at the US International Machine Tool Show in Chicago. Attendees and competitors were unsure at the time if the idea of marrying a robot into a metal cutting machine tool was a great idea or a "flash in the pan."

Three years later, at least ten different vendors showed robotic hexapod-like machines in Paris. The preferred applications included milling of forging dies, high speed cutting of aluminum and sculpturing of decorative wood pieces for furniture.

One exhibitor, NEOS, claims to have sold 100 hexapod machines. A specific customer mentioned was Boeing who is milling aluminum aerospace parts. NEOS also described applications where their machines have been applied in the furniture industry. The hexapod approach offers benefits of speed and superior smooth surfaces for highly sculptured furniture trim.

Mikromat, of Dresden, mentioned that they had sold a hexapod to Daimler Benz for machining forging dies. The flexible omni-directional milling cutter is ideal for applications needing high speed, movement in any direction and limited reach.

To achieve greater reach, designers are hanging the hexapod over the top of the workpiece. Moving the workpiece along under the milling head as needed to make up for limited reach.

The original Ingersol Milling hexapod machine of 1996 demonstrated the idea. Subsequent designs have greatly reduced the size and weight of the spindle and drive motor. The lighter weight spindle has enabled designers to reduce the mass of the robot support structure and thus dramatically increase the cutting speed.

Both traditional metal cutting machine tool builders and new non-traditional players were exhibited. New traditions have gone beyond machine to configuration to marketing. NEOS has adopted a business strategy of only providing the robotic hexapod head as a sub-assembly. They see their customer as the systems integrator who designs and constructs the balance of the machine for the end customer application.

Okuma demonstrated their hexapod machine as a "work in progress". They expect the machine to be a commercial product offering in about two years. They used EMO 99 as an opportunity to gather potential user feedback on what the final product should encompass.

One of the innovations Okuma exhibited on their hexapod was the thru-hole servo motors and thru-hole feedback sensors they have developed. The new servo system approach enables a lighter weight robotic leg design with the ball screw running through the drive motor and feedback sensor.

Not every hexapod exhibitor was looking to sell machines. Siemens was most interested in attracting hexapod builders who would employ the Siemens developed controller for hexapod machines. Softmovements was extremely interested in attracting investments to help fund continued developments. They would not be against selling a hexapod but first order of business was to locate partners for extending the development process.

Firms identified as showing hexapod technology at EMO 99 included:

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  CMW, via del Legatore 1, F-88320 Roziers-sur-Mouzon. Tel: 33 3 29 07 33 08; Fax: 33 3 29 07 32 52.

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  Giddings & Lewis, 142 Doty St, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin US-54935. Tel: 1 920 921 94 00; Fax: 1 920 906 25 22.

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  Hnller Hille, Schweiberdingerstr 80, D-71636 Ludwigsburg. Tel: 49 7141 402 0; Fax: 49 7141 402 205.

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  Sena Technologies, 301-210 Seoul National University, Shinlim-Dong Kwanak-ku, KR-151-742 Seoul, Korea. Tel: 82 2 880 7144; Fax: 82 2 872 2729.

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  Softmovements, via Cantonale, CH-6579 Piazzogna. Tel: 41 91 80 4115; Fax: 41 91 780 4119.

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  Siemens AG, Frauenauracherstr 80, D-91050 Erlangen. Tel: 49 913 19 80; Fax: 49 913 198 23 30.

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  Okuma, 5-25-1 Oguichi-cho, Niwa-Gun Aichi-Ken, J-48001193 Niwa-Gun. Tel: 81 587 957 825; Fax: 81 587 956 074.

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  Renault Automation, 60 Allée de la Forêt, F-92365 Meudon la ForÁt. Tel: 33 146 01 38 42; Fax: 33 146 01 38 49.

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  NEOS Robotics AB, Ritarslingan 22A, S-18766 Taby, Sweden. Tel: 46 8 630 1300; Fax: 46 8 630 1310.

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  Mikromat, Niedersedlitzerstr 37, D-1239 Dresden. Tel: 49 351 286 11 04; Fax: 49 351 26 11 07.