It is a well-known
statistic that applying robots in any industry results in saving on labour
expenses, andthis translates to these robots guaranteeing an excellent return
on investment. As contrasting as they may appear, the human arm and the robotic
arm are very similar and share common characteristics. They have the same
underlying configuration of linkages and joints.
Today’s world has seen Universal
robots used in plastic fabrication, which includes injection molding
related processes. The resemblance to the human arm allows injection molding
robots to circumvent any task that is presented to them.
The utilization of
robotics provides fabricators with a competitive advantage, which enables an
increase in productivity and quality of the product as well. A balance between
cost, speed, and accuracy has to be achieved, and this leads us to a discussion
on the features to look out for when selecting injection molding robots for
your business.
SelectingInjection
Molding Robots: What to Look Out For
Maximum Speed for
Your Application
It is very crucial to
achieve the quickest cycle times so that you can fabricate more parts
consistently. Usually, a robot manufacturer will make a budget speed robot, a
high-speed robot, or an ultra-high-speed robot. The clients select robots based
on their budgets and required cycle times.
With cycle times above
15 seconds, the client should select the budget speed robot. With cycle times
of up to 12 seconds, the client should choose a high-speed robot, and with
cycle times of below 12 seconds, the client should select an ultra-high-speed
robot. Cycle time is also dependent on part depth, size of the mold, and the
extraction method used.
Flexibility &
Ease of Use
A proper robot should
have a balance between flexibility and ease of use. The robot controller should
be easy enough to be used by an intern or graduate. A technician should not
always be called upon to teach the robot once a new mold comes into a facility.
Robust Construction
for Maximum Payload
Many robot makers cut
expenses by offering their clients robots with a lower maximum payload. This
means the servo motors contained in the robot have lower capacity. In the future
utilize a robot with end-of-arm tooling because they are over the limit in
terms of payload.
Also, utilize robots
that have pinion and rack mechanisms rather than belts. Belts used for robots
contain rubber and iron, and like all rubber equipment, they stretch over time
and need to be adjusted periodically. Rubber also regularly tears and requires
replacements. The maintenance of rubber belts is also quite high as well.
Improvement in
Quality of Parts
Minus a robot, most
injection molders drop parts underneath the mold. This presents the likelihood
of cosmetic defects and a chance for parts to amass contamination from dirt
collection bins and grease bars. To avoid this mishap, molders select a
top-quality robot to extract parts directly from the mold during ejection.
With the robot
manufacturer present, ensure your robot can use part extraction confirmation
via a vacuum pressure while using suction cups. When using the part
confirmation feature, you will no longer fear damaging molds and shipping out
defective parts. This is your insurance policy.
Long-Term
Reliability &Low Maintenance Costs
When selecting a robot,
you should ask for customer references who will tell you how long their oldest
robot has been running for and the maintenance costs the robot demands.
Well-built servo robots should render service for twenty plus years and have
minimum maintenance costs of greasing drive components and linear guides.
At times they are
significant differences in the quality of parts, and that is reflected in the
price of the robot. This means the price should never be a decisive factor when
determining the quality of an injection molding robot.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, injection
molding robots are quite useful in industries. However, there’s several things
that entrepreneurs to look out for when selecting the best injection molding
robot to purchase, as we have seen above.
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