Enabling robot compatibility with Foba

Flexxbotics, which delivers work-cell digitalisation for robot-driven manufacturing, can now
offer robot connectivity compatibility for machine tending with all of the Foba laser marking
and engraving products. Flexxbotics includes communication with Foba’s integrated camera
system for vision-based inspection, providing closed-loop feedback to the robot for
autonomous process control. With Flexxbotics robot-driven operation of Foba equipment
customers achieve greater throughput and higher yields.
 
Foba provides precision laser marking systems and laser engraving machines that include
fibre laser markers and UV laser markers, as well as ultra-short pulse laser markers, CO2
laser markers and green laser markers for a diverse range of applications and industries. The
patent-pending FlexxCORE technology in the Flexxbotics solution enables robots to connect
and communicate with the Foba laser marking and engraving equipment including the
integrated camera systems for robotic orchestration of part processing with in-line
inspection. Flexxbotics compatibility includes the Foba MarkUS control, as well as Foba’s
digital I/Os, PROFINET, Profibus/TCP/IP and EtherCAT.

 
The solution co-ordinates robot actions with Foba’s three-stage marking process, which
includes part inspection prior to marking, automatic mark alignment and subsequent
validation of the marking. Flexxbotics utilises either the intelligent mark positioning (IMP) or
point and shoot (P&S) capabilities in the Foba equipment for precise alignment of the laser
marker on the customer’s product, along with vision-assisted workflows for accuracy if
touch-up is needed.
 
Combining Foba with Flexxbotics is particularly valuable in industries with strict regulatory
compliance requirements that dictate the highest levels of repeatable precision, such as
medical devices and surgical products along with aerospace, defence and space,” explains
Tyler Bouchard, co-founder and CEO of Flexxbotics. “With Flexxbotics and Foba together,
customers can optimise cycle time, expand capacity and increase profit per part.”
For further information www.flexxbotics.com