Posted to News on 19th May 2016, 15:21
Multi-functional robot straddles pick & place and palletising
FANUC Robotics UK is enlarging its M20-iA family of robots with the M20-iA/35M, based on the same kinematics and engineering as the existing M20-iA/10M and M20-iA/20M robots, but with enhanced payload that broadens its application envelope, making it an attractive investment proposition. The M20-iA/35M can be fitted with a multi-purpose gripper for high-speed pick and placing and for those applications that require reach and multi-tasking ability.
Working alongside a tray loading system, the M20-iA/35M can pick retail packs out of a tray and place them onto a moving conveyor for recirculation. The same M20-iA/35M can also palletise full boxes, demonstrating the efficiency benefits that can be realised by using the same robot to carry out both pick-and-place and palletising duties.
John Rainer, regional sales manager at FANUC UK, comments: "Most robot arms are designed for either case packing or palletising, which limits their flexibility. Thanks to industry-leading reach of over 1.8 metres, coupled with a high payload on a compact footprint, the M20-iA/35M can do either or both. It can pack anything from cardboard cartons of frozen fish portions to thermoformed trays of fresh meat or bags of potatoes into shelf ready cases and trays, as well as stacking the boxes or trays on pallets. This contributes to a strong investment case as if a company's product range or requirements change, this robot isn't restricted to a dedicated function - it can be adapted or moved to a different part of the line."
Capable of completing 25 cycles per minute, the M20-iA/35M offers excellent axes speed. The robot's generous payload also opens up possibilities for handling several items simultaneously to double or even triple throughput, if required.
Like the other two robots in the M20-iA series, the M20-iA/35M is compact in size, with a slim wrist, allowing it to work within the space constraints that are often found in food manufacturing facilities. For installation flexibility it can be floor, angle, wall or ceiling mounted. The robot also features the same hollow upper arm and wrist that was engineered by FANUC as the solution to dressout issues. The design allows utilities to be neatly contained within the arm, eliminating snagging, tearing and rubbing and the subsequent downtime.
As with all FANUC robots, the M20-iA/35M is enabled to take full advantage of FANUC's iRVision cameras for product location, recognition and inspection, in addition to barcode reading and line tracking. Please visit www.fanuc.eu for further details.
