Robot safety enables mobile machine tending

Be ambitious, dream big,’ proclaims a giant, brightly-coloured graphic that towers encouragingly above the bustling machine shop crammed with CNC machines at ALM Engineering near Newton Aycliffe in County Durham.

It was this spirit of enterprise and vision that turned necessity into a pioneering robotics innovation. ALM has uprooted machine tending robots, set them on wheels and turned them into freely accessible and adaptable mobile units that it can quickly and easily reposition wherever necessary.

The idea originated from the need for a device that would meet the growing needs of the family-run business. ALM’s development of collaborative robot (cobot) applications, based on technology from Universal Robots, was so successful that the company decided to perfect and market it to external customers, calling it the CoboTend. Now, a partnership with SICK UK enabled effortless safety without sacrificing productivity for the CoboTend, representing a vital step in the product’s continued development.

Two SICK nanoScan3 Pro safety laser scanners sit at opposite corners of the CoboTend’s trolley cabinet. Together, the laser scanners provide 360° coverage around the robot, slowing it to a safe speed when a person enters the outer of two fields and only stopping upon breaching the inner field. This concept means that the cobot can continue to operate safety and dynamically based on the proximity of the person rather than simply stopping if anyone gets too close, ensuring maximum uptime and productivity.

The SICK nanoScan3 Pro safety laser scanner is easy to integrate thanks to the SBot Speed URCap, a safety system that combines safety technology from SICK and Universal Robots.

SBot Speed URCap is simple and fast to set up using smart field definition and field teach-in. 

More information www.sick.co.uk

Automated tool production system launches

With its new Automated Tool Production (ATP) system, Walter is offering a new automation system for tool handling in the manufacture and inspection of cylindrical cutting tools. The system networks tool production and measuring machines not only from Walter but also upstream and downstream machines from other system partners.

Available from Walter Ewag UK, a manufacturer of CNC grinding, erosion and measuring machines, the new ATP provides a higher degree of automation and thus delivers elevated levels of efficiency. ATP does not require additional floor space and is suitable for integration into existing tool manufacturing systems independent of current automation providers without any need to change system layouts.

System control is based on the Flames OPC-UA data model and comprises at least one robot cell accessible from the front (ATP Robocell) for automatic machine loading/unloading plus at least one autonomous, mobile transport robot (ATP AMR) for transporting workpiece pallets and individual parts between storage and processing stations. The data model also includes a standard communication model between the machines and ATP AMR, as well as a control system for higher-level data and process control.

ATP Robocell offers three access gates and therefore additional buffer spaces for production without waiting time or downtime. A separate removal station for the in-process exchange of individual tools between the measuring and production machine enables automatic correction and, as a result, closed-loop processing.

The ATP Robocell’s multi-range gripper contributes to the system’s flexibility by covering a large workpiece diameter range and providing the ability to exchange collets at the same time.

More information www.walter-machines.com

Mazak engineer wins drag bike race

A Yamazaki Mazak engineer made waves at Northampton’s Santa Pod Racers Club (SPRC)
drag bike racing circuit, securing first place in her fourth race of the season. Jas Cordelle, a
technical support engineer at Mazak, has progressed through the junior leagues, moving up
to the 850 class in 2022. Now in her third season at this level, Cordelle and her engineering
team have made further bike modifications to provide the power needed to compete at the
top. With a personal best of 7.26 seconds over a quarter of a mile, reaching a top speed of
178 mph, these changes are already starting to pay dividends.
More information www.mazakeu.co.uk

New robotic systems for machine tools

A new range of storage and handling systems for the automatic loading and unloading of machine tools is now available in the UK and Ireland via Whitehouse Machine Tools in partnership with the Turkish manufacturer Tezmaksan. CubeBox robotic cells are suitable for automating virtually any make of CNC lathe or machining centre. Non-stop, rapid loading and unloading of workpieces into and out of up to three machines enhances flexibility and agility, enabling quick adaptation to changing production requirements.

Amortisation is fast as the operator only needs to load billets, castings or forgings into the workpiece magazine and unload finish-machined components. The worker is therefore free to perform added-value tasks elsewhere on the shop floor. Additionally, unattended ghost-shift production is possible, contributing further to profitability.

Cell integration and robot programming are particularly easy, reports Whitehouse. Connecting to any make of machine control system is possible, eliminating the need for customisation or modification. The process does not therefore rely on a skilled integrator, while the high degree of compatibility simplifies and lowers the cost of implementation. Installation and commissioning normally only takes one day, reducing the expense associated with lengthy set-up periods.

The foundation of all CubeBox systems is RoboCAM, an intelligent 2.5-axis CADCAM automation software developed by Tezmaksan. Operators can integrate any compatible industrial six-axis robot into the cell without the need for prior programming knowledge. RoboCAM translates any uploaded 2D product drawing into a robot-friendly language, enabling seamless communication and execution of automated cycles.

CubeBox flexibility allows easy transportation between different machine tools. Such mobility ensures optimal utilisation of the system across various workstations, eliminating the need to perform separate robotic set-ups for each machine.

More information www.wmtcnc.com

Heller UK celebrates 50th anniversary

Redditch-based Heller Machine Tools Ltd, a wholly owned daughter company of German
machine tool manufacturer Heller Maschinenfabrik GmbH, is celebrating its 50th
anniversary this year. Both the parent company and the UK and Ireland subsidiary build
four- and five-axis horizontal machining centres. The UK site is a global competence centre
for turnkey projects and innovative manufacturing solutions.

Heller began its UK operations in 1974. Seven years later, a bespoke factory was built in
Redditch, with the company relocating in 1997 to a nearby facility capable of assembling
more than 200 machines per year. This assembly capability has since been extended to over
300 machines. Today, more than 150 employees work at the facility, which has seen
investment of more than £2m in recent years.
More information www.heller.biz