1) How heavy of a part can the gripper pick up without having the part slip between the gripper fingers when you move it around?
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For our systems, we are only limited by the robot&#;s payload capacity. We tailor our systems to meet your needs so you are never left with a system that doesn&#;t work. Oh, your needs changed? No problem, our systems can be easily modified in the field so you don&#;t have to worry if your business changes direction and the parts you are making today are not what you need to make tomorrow. With the largest robot we offer, we can lift about a 60 lb part. Even our smallest system is equipped with a gripper that has 100 lbs of force per finger on the gripper. Electric grippers are great for very small parts but will almost always be the weakest link in your system and you won&#;t be able to use the robot to its full potential. Make sure to check what the clamping force is of any gripper and compare it to what is available on the market to be sure it will meet your needs.
2) What happens if someone accidentally bumps the robot stand after I program it to run my parts?
Our stand has precision locating plates that get mounted to your concrete so that the system can&#;t be bumped and every time you bring it back to the machine, it is exactly where it was the last time. This means you don&#;t have to reteach any points on your robot program when you move your robot so you can spend more time making parts and less time trying to get up and running.
3) What would moving the system to another similar machine cost? How long would this take? Can I redeploy your system from a mill to a lathe (or vice versa)? What would that cost? How long would it take me?
Moving the system to another similar machine costs under $500 in hardware so the system can repeatably be moved between locations. If you need automated work holding in the other machine, this will depend on the application.
The first time you set it up on a machine, it takes about an afternoon. After the initial setup, you can move between locations in under 20 minutes. This is because we use master quick disconnects for wiring & pneumatics as well as our locating feet. This eliminates any re-programming of the robot.
If you want to move one of our systems between two different machines (like a mill & a lathe), you will need the hardware above, new infeed accessories, and a different robot gripper. This would take under an hour to swap out.
4) How many parts (the parts you want to run) can you fit in the robot infeed?
We have qtys listed for some infeed examples on each of our system product pages for our standard configurations. That being said, we can easily create a custom infeed to accommodate any amount of unattended runtime you would like.
5) Can I customize the robot program if I find a task unique to our process that would be helpful?
Easily. Because the programming capabilities of UR robots are so advanced and easy to use, we do not load any software over the standard UR interface because this often limits what you can change in a program. Be weary of proprietary software that is not made by the robot manufacturer because it limits the capability and requires constant updates as the robot manufacturer updates their software.
6) Since this market is rapidly changing and new products are being developed regularly, is your system quickly adapted to work with other products on the market? How future-proof is this system?
Our systems are designed to be modular and to work with anyone else&#;s products on the market. This is imperative as this industry is changing very rapidly and you want to be sure you get a system that can be upgraded without having to switch systems in the future.
7) How does your system react if a chip falls into the work holding after being cleaned off but before loading the part?
This is a critical question to ask, as very few automation systems are capable of problem-solving. We program our robots to make decisions based on the environment so that it doesn&#;t stop every time there is an issue that is simple to fix. For example, in the scenario outlined in this question, the robot would recognize it wasn&#;t able to seat the part all the way, and rather than just stop it will actually remove the part, blow off the work holding again, and then try to reload the part. If it tries to do this 3 times and there is still something wrong, the robot will place the unfinished part in the outfeed and try again with another part. We have similar troubleshooting steps built into our entire system.
8) If I move the system back to a machine I have had it on before, do I have to reteach any points in my robot program?
Nope! With our stand locating system, the robot is located in the same place every time so you don&#;t have to worry about re-teaching any points in your program. Watch out for other systems that may locate the robot in X & Y repeatably but not the Z axis. Without this, you will be reteaching the robot every time you move it.
9) Do you include any on-site training or installation with your system?
All of our systems come with full turn key service included so that you are running lights out when we leave! This allows you to focus on programming parts and not integrating a robot.
10) Can I use my existing work holding with your system?
Absolutely. We know how you manufacture your parts is what sets you apart from the competition. That is why we work to automate your existing fixture design or to automate the vise you already own!
11) I understand the robot's payload; does that change if I put a longer gripper on the robot even if the gripper is the same weight?
This is one of the dirty little secrets about choosing a robot. Ask the cobot suppliers you are looking at if you can hold a part that is the max payload of the robot a couple hundred millimeters away from the robot&#;s tool flange. This is called the payload curve. Most cobots lose a substantial amount of payload capacity the further it is held from the tool flange. With UR cobots, this is not an issue.
12) Can I run the robot at maximum speed, with a full payload and at full extension of the robot arm?
Ask the cobot suppliers you are looking at if you can hold a part that is the max payload of the robot a couple hundred millimeters away from the robot&#;s tool flange and still move the robot at full speed at full extension. This is what separates the wheat from the chaff. With a UR cobot, this is no problem. The competition will ask you to move up to a larger robot which is just an unnecessary expense.
13) What is the repeatability of the robot arm? What does this mean for my process reliability?
I don&#;t need to explain to a machinist what the repeatability of the equipment means for process reliability! Be sure to compare these values to other cobots on the market.
14) What is the repeatability of the infeed that the robot is picking parts up from? How does this affect my robot program?
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If the robot isn&#;t picking parts up in an exact known location every time then you are going to get the exact same variation when it locates them in the machine. This can be relieved by having a part-locating fixture but we design our infeed so you know you are accurately grabbing every part right the first time, every time.
15) Can your system run my part through multiple machining operations, or can it only run one operation at a time?
We push all of our customers to have the robot handle all of the operations to follow the single-parts flow of lean manufacturing principles and eliminate as much work-in-process as possible. Our systems can run parts through numerous sequential work-holding devices in the machine so you get a finished part from raw stock every cycle.
16) From when the machine door opens to when it closes again, how long does your system take to load the parts?
This is very dependent on the specifics of each part but we have many systems that can run a mill part through an op1 & op2 vise in under 40 seconds from door open to door closed. This includes unloading the finished part, flipping the half-done part from the OP1 vise to the OP2 vise, and loading a new piece of stock into the OP1 vise.
17) What size range of parts does your system run?
Our standard systems are capable of holding parts much larger than our competitors. We can generally go up to 60lbs. This is hard to pin down with so many variables at play but we are talking in feet for the largest parts we can move where others are measuring in inches.
18) Can the robot change the program in the machine? Can it read and write macro variables to the machine?
Of course! Be wary of systems that are only communicating with the machine via discrete I/O as they are complicated to troubleshoot and limit the complexity of conversations that can be had between the robot and the machine.
19) Do I have to tell the system when I add parts to the infeed or remove parts from the outfeed?
Heck no! Our robust programs use the robot to work smarter, not harder. By utilizing what is called &#;seek mode&#; we can have the robot change its actions based on whether you added parts to the infeed or removed them from the outfeed so you don&#;t have to push any buttons to just keep running and running.
20) Do I need a safety risk assessment for this system? Am I responsible for completing that?
The Industrial Robot Safety Standard, ANSI/RIA R15.06-, requires a risk assessment for every robotic system. A robot risk assessment is a systematic procedure that identifies and manages potential hazards associated with a robot. If you integrate your system, you are responsible for completing this yourself. We provide a full safety risk assessment that meets ISO standards for every customer.
21) Does this robot run faster than collaborative mode? Do I need a safety scanner to do that?
Absolutely. Universal Robots run faster than collaborative mode however then the system requires appropriate safety guarding to prevent injury. This is why we provide laser safety scanners with every system custom-programmed to match your environment and to meet safety standards without slowing down your processes.
It's critical to ask the right questions when searching for a partner to help you automate manufacturing processes in the medical and life sciences industry. Questions around issues such as quality and defects, time to market, speed, and experience, must be asked before the right partner is chosen. Our eBook will give you more guidance, but here are a few of the considerations to help you get started.
Will automation increase quality and reduce defects?
Quality and defects are concerns that many manufacturers face today. In a space where there are a lot of operators, there are often quality issues because of manual operations or assembly environmental factors such as debris. The most notable way to control quality issues is by reducing manual operations, so there are no deviations to the process. An automated system results in the same consistency every time while reducing the risk of contamination for these sensitive operations.
Intec Automation recently helped a customer develop an automated manufacturing process that solved their quality and defect concerns. This customer needed to weld very fine materials onto a plastic tray where cancer cultures are grown. The materials were so sensitive that even touching the surface would destroy the product. Automating the task meant that the human touch was eliminated in the welding process while monitoring and tracking each step to ensure the quality of each product.
Intec also recently partnered with other customers to help develop medical application automation equipment for pharmaceutical-grade filter materials applications, culture cell growth assemblies, PCR tubes for molecular biology applications, and multi-wells for laboratory applications. Many of the common problems come back to the customer looking for:
- increased precision and accuracy for consistent, high-volume output at the lowest cost possible
- improved uptime and productivity
- reducing the risk of contamination
- producing products in varying operating conditions such as lower temperatures, humidity, and light which is possible to dictate with machines but manual constraints require specific conditions for safety and comfort requirements for operations
The medical and life sciences sector has several unique requirements and standards for automation equipment that are not found in other industries. Many times, medical applications will require cleanroom standards, so the materials and construction of equipment are important because of the higher level sanitation regime. Equipment must be easy to washdown and use materials and practices that reduce harborage points where contaminants can exist.
Intec Automation helps its customers get through the maze of validation and standards requirements in the life science industry, including design qualifications that are not required outside of the medical space. Other validation services are made available through Intec's sister company.
What is a typical lead time for an automation project?
Time to market is another critical consideration when you are working with assembly automation companies. Validating products can be a lengthy process, and a machine can sit on a customer's floor for a full year before it is fully validated. That's why it is important that the partner you choose communicates honestly about expectations and lead time.
Intec understands that the faster they can deliver a system to a customer, the faster that customer can begin their validation process and improve their time to market.
Will an automated system really give me the speed that I need?
Speed is driving automation in manufacturing today, and manual operations can be fraught with speed bumps. Removing those speed bumps with automation and increasing throughput will reduce defects and waste percentages.
Companies report that their OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) is in the 50-55% range for manual operations. However, when they go to full automation, that OEE number jumps up to around 85%, which is a huge improvement in just one stage of the operation.
Does your company have experience building solutions for my type of products?
Precision and accuracy are critical in the life science industry, so when you begin your search for a partner, you must find someone experienced in creating high-tolerance precision solutions for the types of products that you have.
Intec Automation has over 20 years of experience successfully designing and building custom solutions for manufacturers all over the world, and we can get you on the path to successfully automating your manual processes.
For more questions to ask, check out our eBook, which is a guide to selecting a partner for future automated manufacturing solutions for your production lines.
If you want to secure your profitability with an automated manufacturing solution, speak to one of our engineers today.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Automation Equipment Precision Parts.
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