Wood working robot

Citation

(2003), "Wood working robot", Industrial Robot, Vol. 30 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2003.04930eaf.002

Wood working robot

Wood working robot

Keywords: Robots, Machining, Wood

One unusual application for robots is that of the manufacture of woodwork components. A unique cell with two Tricept robots and a conventional articulated handling robot arm first started production in 1999. The cell was built by Evert Johnansson in Tibro, a Swedish Integrator specializing in the wood working industry.

The task is to manufacture high quality components for coffins inexpensively. At first, annual volume is expected to be 40,000, with time it should climb to about 100,000. "The cell is perfect for almost all machining of flat furniture" points out Project Manager Fredrik Malberg. "We see the robot as a very flexible specialized machine to be used when no standard machines are available."

The customer wanted a new solution because the old equipment for mitering corners was not accurate enough. The task was compounded by the requirement for low batch sizes, so the control system had to be very flexible.

The solution became the Tricept, or actually two Tricept robots with Comau C3G third generation control systems. The robots, at an angle, saw from each side and then saw a spine. The slabs are joined with a spring that is inserted in the spine. The cell also contains a conventional robot arm that drills holes for the handles, and outlets are cut for hinges and locks. The robots handle a 300 mm saw blade rotating at a rate of 6,000 rpm with a processing speed of 0.8 m/s (Plate 1).

The flexibility of the Comau C3G plus controller allows external communication with external devices – in particular for data storage. The robots' control system is a shell that is loaded with data from a PC. "The computer enters the parameters in plain text in the main control unit. Very little robot programming is needed to modify production" explains Fredrik. This in turn permits one-off manufacturing and mixed production. For example, the operator orders two bits X and three bits Y from the control system, which then modifies motion pattern online.

Comau Robotics is part of the Comau UK Group, and is based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Comau is a wholly owned subsidiary of FIAT, and is the largest supplier of automation to the Automotive Industry in the world.

For further information, please contact: Robert Lewis, Operations Manager, Comau, Harlescott Lane, Shrewsbury, SY1 3AS. Tel: 01743 453 800; Fax: 01743 453 810; E-mail: robert.lewis@comau.co.uk

Plate 1 Typical robot machining cell during workshop commissioning, prior to final guarding arrangement being added