Material Handling
Material Handling Needs A Robot
Moving material around a factory is no job for a human. It's repetitive, tiring and possibly dangerous. That's why it's a good job for a robot. As programmable manipulators, robots are the are ideal tool for moving anything from point A to point B, over and over and over.
Whether it's loading and unloading a turning center, transferring stampings between presses or picking candy from a conveyor and placing it in a box, a FANUC material handling robot is the way to go.
Material Handling Robots Cut Costs and Improve Efficiency
Material handling robots cut costs because they do the kind of arduous work humans aren't suited for. They'll lift massive payloads — the largest Fanuc robot can tote more than 2,866 pounds (1300kg) at one time — and place them to within a few thousandths of an inch all day and all night. They thrive in hot, noisy and dangerous places like foundries, forges and strip mills, never taking a break, vacation or sick leave.
The need for sick leave is a common result of moving cases and packages by hand. In fact, lifting is a leading cause of workplace injuries, and it costs employers millions each year. Automating material handling tasks with robotic material handling systems, such as bin-picking robots, creates a better environment for workers and protects employers against compensation claims.
Which Material Handling Robot Is Right for Your Business?
When thinking about a robot for automated material handling, the primary considerations should be payload and reach. Together they dictate the size of robot needed, although it's often worth over-specifying because robots are easily reassigned to new tasks as the mix of orders through a shop ebbs and flows. The more tasks that an automated material handling system can handle, the more effective it will be.
REACH
If reach is the limiting factor — say a bigger robot is needed to place a part in a chuck than the payload would demand — it's often worth thinking about unconventional mountings. There's no law saying a robot must sit on a floor-mounted pedestal. Sometimes a wall or ceiling mount allows better utilization of the working envelope, so bear this in mind when looking at robot specifications.
SPEED AND REPEATABILITY
In some material handling applications, speed and repeatability outweigh reach and payload. Picking and packing from a moving conveyor is a good example.
For these applications, a “Delta” robot might be preferable to a conventional six-axis robot. Looking like giant spiders, Delta pick-and-place robots are usually mounted over a conveyor and paired with vision systems that help them locate small targets quickly. Then, moving quickly, they'll pick it off the belt and place it precisely in a box.
Automated Material Handling Capabilities
The full possibilities for applications of robots in material handling are extensive. From bin-picking robots to handling robots to pick-and-place robots, these systems are able to vastly increase speed and efficiency, improve safety, and allow human workers to focus on the most productive tasks in the facility.
With automated material handling systems in place, you will see productivity and safety improvements that translate to a better bottom line. Handling robots fulfill the most repetitive, injury-prone, undesirable jobs, including:
- Load/Unload
- Machine Tools
- Plastic Moldings
- Castings
- Forgings
- Metrology Equipment
- Part-Marking
- Bin Picking
- Pick & Place
- Palletizing
To discuss known automation opportunities or discover new ones:
