FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, GERMANY — French robot maker Sepro Robotique expects to generate 78 million euros ($99 million) in 2014 sales — 17 percent more than 2013 — as Sepro's five-axis robots win new customers, executives said at Fakuma.
Sepro showed off nine robots on its stand, and another five at machinery partner companies, the brands Sumitomo Demag, Haitian, Billion, JSW and another private label arrangement Sepro did not identify.
Sepro's five-axis robot, called the 5X, is a Sepro three-axis beam robot with a rotating, two-axis wrist from Stäubli Robotics. Sepro introduced the 5X line at the last Fakuma, in 2012, and it has become the company's fastest-growing new product over the past few years, according to Marcus Klaputek, international sales manager.
The 5X can be easily adapted to different molds and machines by changing the movement path using the controller, instead of the traditional way of making lots of mechanical adjustments. The wrist moves to position the part for post-molding work such as flaming or vision inspection.
“Even if customers don't have an immediate need for this type of robot, they are buying a five-axis robot to give them this flexibility,” Klaputek said in Sepro's Fakuma news conference.
Jean-Michel Renaudeau echoed those remarks.