They don't get sick, tired or hurt, demand raises or go on vacation. What they lack in personality, they make up for in productivity.
With labor costs on the rise and low-cost countries like China, Mexico and India gaining momentum, many North American processors are turning to automation. Robots of various shapes and sizes will be on display at NPE 2006 in Chicago.
ABB Inc. (Booth E9967): New IRB-series robots, including the IRB 58 paint robot, and software.
Automated Assemblies Corp. (Booth S1576): An addition to its Raptor product line. The new 3000-HP top-entry robot, with single and double vertical arm configurations for 200- to 800-ton injection molding presses, allows operators to use three-plate and stack molds in large presses without dedicated automation.
The robot has a dry-cycle takeout time of less than half a second and an overall cycle time of less than five seconds. It has a payload capacity of 22 pounds per vertical arm. The firm calls it the highest payload-to-performance ratio in the industry.
CBW Automation (Booth S2538): In-mold labeling system, the MR-103 high-speed, small-tonnage robot and a top-entry beam robot.
Conair Group Inc. (Booth S2649): Expanded line of affordable beam robots with easy-to-use touch-screen control. The Axess series now available in larger sizes, able to run on any injection press with up to 750 tons of clamping force.
Fanuc Robotics America Inc. (Booth E9620): A new painting robot that features a hollow wrist and options for two motors on the outer arm for gear pumps. Has multiple hose routing options, providing improved throughput and spraying time and improving transfer efficiency.
Gima Advanced Technology Inc. (Booth N4394): Robots, stacking and packing equipment, in-mold decorating systems.
HYRobotics Corp. (Booth E9007): Four-axis traverse robot for insert molding.
Ilsemann Automation (Booth E9773): A new generation of Ilsemann high-speed entry robots.
Logic One Robots (Booth N4490): Rebuilt AEC and Sterltech robots using servo and Indro controls. Sequential Induction Motor Plain-Logic Electrics, or Simple, programmable logic-based robot controller. Also, turnkey vision-inspection systems.
Motoman Inc. (Booth N6352): A seven-axis IA20 robot with a 44-pound payload with ability to move in tight areas. Dual-arm DA20 robot with 44-pound payload. Each arm has six axes. The robot is designed for assembly and machine-tending applications.
Robotic Production Technology (Booth E9620): Introducing latest addition to family of standard router trimming systems, RoboTrim RT-500, with Fanuc Robotics.
Wittmann Inc. (Booth S2549): Model W 723 telescopic-stroke servorobots for use with molding machines in plants with low ceilings that limit vertical stroke.
Yushin America Inc. (Booth S777): High-speed robot for product extraction with vertical injection molding machines with clamping forces of up to 150 tons, and insert molding with vertical injection molding machines up to 50 tons. The two-axis SVR-B50 robot incorporates a traverse axis with a two-stage slide mechanism to obtain high speeds. The slide mechanism also reduces the size of the arm. The thin arm is designed to function in small spaces.