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Image your product because it strikes down the meeting line. Because it comes into a brand new station, the operator grabs the electrical screwdriver, picks up a screw, and fastens it. The subsequent step wants a decrease torque for a special kind of screw, so your operator places down the present screwdriver and reaches for one more one. Though this all sounds easy for a human, fastening a number of varieties of screws inside the identical meeting is a posh automation undertaking. However it doesn’t need to be should you use a device changer.
What’s a device changer?
A device changer lets the robotic swap between totally different instruments with none operator intervention. It normally has two components: one that’s fastened on the robotic wrist, and one other that’s fastened on the device itself. Each components match collectively to permit the robotic to “choose up” the device.
Relying in your utility, it’s additionally attainable to offer compressed air and energy to your device via the device changer, which reduces the necessity for cable administration. Unused instruments are saved on a assist referred to as {a magazine}. See our weblog submit on the highest robotic device changers for extra concepts.
Credit score: TripleA robotics
Why would you desire a device changer for screwdriving?
In a really perfect state of affairs, a product would solely want one kind of screw for all its components. Nevertheless, due to design constraints, you most likely have screws with totally different drive sizes in your meeting and subsequently require a number of screwdrivers to lock them. So what are your automation choices?
A number of robots that every have their very own screwdriver
Professional: Quick.
Con: Costly and sophisticated, as a result of it is advisable arrange communication between the robots.
One robotic with a number of screwdrivers
Professional: Cheaper than possibility one.
Con: You possibly can’t use that many various instruments. Software choice is proscribed by your payload, and sophisticated to program (because you’re continually switching the orientation of your device heart level).
One robotic with a bit changer
Professional: Simple to program and versatile, so you possibly can add as many screwdriving bits as you want.
Con: Selecting up and placing down a screwdriving bit will increase cycle time.
One robotic with a device changer
Professional: Simple to program and versatile, so you possibly can add as many instruments as you want.
Con: Selecting up and placing down a device will increase cycle time.
Which functions are device changers good for?
Software changers are nice for:
Screwdriving functions with greater than two varieties of screws.
Functions that contain screwdriving and different varieties of instruments like a gripper or glue gun.
Functions the place cycle time is just not that vital, since cycle time will likely be slower on account of altering and activating instruments.
How do device changers have an effect on cycle time?
Utilizing a device changer will take some treasured cycle time. Right here’s a breakdown of a tool-changing sequence:
Software change from empty to geared up.
Energy on + activation.
Journey between the device changer journal and the half.
Course of.
Journey between the half and the device changer journal.
Software change from geared up to empty.
Nevertheless, it’s attainable to avoid wasting cycle time utilizing the next tips.
1) Robotic motion
Place the device changer’s journal as shut as attainable to your half so the robotic doesn’t need to journey far to change instruments. Additionally, your waypoints needs to be in MoveP (see UR eLearning for particulars).
2) Activate instruments whereas shifting
Don’t look forward to the device to activate earlier than shifting the robotic. Use a thread to run the activation on the identical time, and add some “Wait” nodes to verify the device is activated earlier than getting used within the course of.
Within the instance under, a variable referred to as gripperON signifies when to start out the activation sequence.
Important program
Parallel thread
3) Measure how device change impacts cycle time
You should use the “Timer” node at totally different moments in your program to measure how lengthy every step takes. This manner, you possibly can monitor your progress as you tweak your program and pinpoint which step wants extra work.
Conclusion
Utilizing a device changer with a number of screwdrivers is the way in which to go when your robotic wants to lock a number of varieties of screws inside the identical meeting. It allows you to sort out this complicated course of in a method that’s accessible and versatile.
A great place to start out your screw fastening automation undertaking is to take a look at our screwdriving resolution. This provides you an summary of a completely built-in resolution that’s simple to deploy to your meeting traces. It additionally consists of our screwdriving match device the place you possibly can validate your personal wants on your particular setup.
Ever considered utilizing a device changer to make your screwdriving course of extra full? Inform us within the feedback under or be part of the dialogue on LinkedIn, Twitter, Fb, or the DoF skilled robotics neighborhood.
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