In short

‍
PromessGmbH, a manufacturer of servo presses for assembly facilities and individual workstations with manually operated presses, has added a workstation equipped with a 7-axis lightweight robot from Kassow Robots to its product portfolio.

The lightweight cobot KR1205 allows for flexible loading and unloading at individual workstation—integrated passive safety features and the use of radar-based safety sensors ensure safe operation without the need for access barriers. The material tray can be removed or reattached in just a few simple steps.

Challenge

‍

Many companies are finding that their growth is hampered by labor shortages — and the ability to switch between manual operation and 100% cobot operation offers maximum flexibility.

Solution

‍

The cobot is connected to the press via digital input and output points. It inserts the parts into the press (cobot is equipped with OnRobot 2FG7 Gripper) and opens and closes the lifting door. After starting the press and ensuring that the door is closed, it lets the press carry on with its work. The solution can also work with a light curtain or an automatic lifting door, which results in even shorter cycle times.

Without the 7th axis, this solution would be far more difficult to install and much less flexible. According to Promess, Kassow Robots’ 7th axis is the key to the solution because it allows the cobot to be positioned next to the workstation:during normal operation the spot directly in front of the press is occupied by a human worker, which would require the cobot to be uninstalled whenever manual operation is required. This essential “reaching around the corner” motion that is so critical for quickly switching between manual and automated operation can only be performed by a 7-axis robot—a six-axis robot is incapable of this.

Benefits

‍

The KR1205 is able to do everything that the operator of a workstation usually does. The cobot colleague is more than capable of filling the gaps end customers have due to staff shortages. Using a Kassow Robots cobot means that they can increase their production while also reducing reject rates and raising product quality.