TM Robotics demonstrates newest SCARA series under original name

TM Robotics, official Shibaura Machine distribution partner for Europe, exhibited the company’s latest industrial robots for the European market at Automatica 2022.

Automatica 2022 marked TM Robotics’ first European trade show following the Toshiba Machine corporate name change to Shibaura Machine in April 2020. The company was initially founded as Shibaura Machine Tool Co in 1938 and Toshiba Machine’s renaming will reflect its formal separation from the larger Toshiba Corporation in 2017.

As Automatica, TM Robotics demonstrated the Shibaura Machine THE400 and THE600 robots. These SCARA robots are specifically designed for precise assembly and inspection applications in the electronics equipment and automobile components industries.

The THE400 exhibits an accurate movement trajectory with high-speed operation offering a cycle time of 0.39 seconds. The THE600 SCARA offers the same high speeds but includes improvements in synchronised control and tracking precision and is Shibaura Machine’s first model to be compatible with the next generation TS5000 robot controller. The controller is designed to be Industry 4.0 compliant and to provide a platform for the next generation of Shibaura Machine robots.

The TS5000 controller has been designed with dedicated edge computing protocols, which, in combination with vibration analytic tools and AI, can generate predictive maintenance profiles unique to each customer application. These profiles are ideal for reducing or even eliminating downtime and help customers meet the growing demand for fast-cycle automation. The controller is 33 per cent smaller than existing versions, for minimal impact on the factory footprint. Weighing just 10kg with dimensions of 370mm width, 150mm height and 355mm depth, the compact design of the TS5000 allows for easy installation.

TM Robotics’ Automatica stand also showcased a variety of robotic applications, including demonstrations using the latest technology such as the THL300 SCARA working with the Vision Bowl, a flexible bowl feeder with an integrated vision system, from PULSA Bols Vibrants. PULSA is French bowl feeder specialist and member of TechFeeder, the European Feeding Systems Manufacturers Alliance, and collaborated with Shibaura Machine to showcase a full automation solution.

“At Automatica, we made many new connections, strengthened existing relationships and learnt more about new upcoming robotics technologies in the wider automation industry,” explained Nigel Smith, president of TM Robotics. “It is amazing to see TM Robotics able to showcase under its original name and highlight how Shibaura Machine’s robots such as the enhanced THE600 SCARA are not only compact in design and offer high speeds, but with 60 per cent higher payload capacity than competing SCARA models. This is why we continue to be the automation market’s price-to-performance leader.

“Under the name of Toshiba Machine, Shibaura Machine has been designing and manufacturing cutting-edge industrial robots for over 40 years. As we continue to push innovation forward, Shibaura Machine’s THE800 and THE1000 SCARA robots will launch on the European market in the coming year. These new models build on the accuracy and high cycle time of the existing THE series, but at even higher payloads. The THE800 and THE1000 will boost manufacturer’s productivity and are an ideal investment in the future of automation. We look forward to showcasing them to end users, systems integrators, and distributors at next year’s Automatica.”