FANUC America Demonstrates Automated Solutions for Welding and Coating at FABTECH
August 23, 2023
FANUC America will demonstrate the industry’s latest automation technologies for welding and coating at FABTECH 2023, Sept. 11-14 in Chicago. See FANUC’s CNC and robotic welding demonstrations in booth B-27015 and automated solutions for painting and coating in booth D-40523.
Easy to Use CRX Cobots for Welding
FANUC’s collaborative robots are easy to use and flexible solutions for companies looking to improve productivity and solve labor issues. FANUC’s entire series of CRX collaborative robots are reliable, flexible, and designed for eight years without maintenance. Easy-to-use interactive programming allows operators to teach points using hand guidance or a Tablet TP with drag-and-drop icons. In addition, all FANUC CRX welding cobots support FANUC’s advanced features, including iRVision ®, Touch Sensing, Servo Torch, Thru Arc Seam Tracking (TAST and Multi Pass (MP).
At FABTECH, see a wide range of FANUC’s sturdy and reliable cobot welders:
A CRX-25iA welding cobot, which now offers a 30kg payload and 1,889mm reach, will demonstrate welding joints on a mower deck. Attendees can teach points using hand guidance or the Tablet TP interface with drag and drop icons.
A FANUC CRX-10iA/L welding cobot with a long 1418mm reach will showcase live aluminum arc welding with the FANUC Servo Torch. Attendees will be able to teach weld joints using hand guidance or the Tablet TP with drag and drop icons. The demonstration will include FANUC’s advanced aluminum MIG weld process control demonstrating low frequency pulse and heat wave, utilizing a Lincoln Electric PowerWave R450 weld power supply.
Lincoln Electric’s Cooper™ mobile welding cart featuring FANUC’s CRX -10iA/L will offer attendees a hands-on experience programming with the Cooper App. The Cooper robotic welding system is easy to program and use with the intuitive FANUC Tablet TP and the ability to teach at the torch by hand. Lincoln Electric’s Power Wave R450 robotic welding platform provides the same industry-leading performance found in traditional robotic welding.
An APT ModWeld Cobot MAC Cart featuring FANUC’s CRX-10iA and a Miller Auto-Continuum 350 offers a modular solution that can be easily expanded. Visitors will have a hands-on experience programming with the APT Clever Torch teach buttons.
FANUC CRX-10iA Assembly with the Power Motioni-Model A
A CRX-10iA with the Power Motion i-Model A (PMi-A) will simulate brake rotor assembly. The PMi– A moves parts into position for the CRX, presses a simulated rivet into the part and performs a quality inspection of the rivet press. The demonstration shows the versatility of the CRX cobot combined with the PMi-A, a high-performance and scalable general motion control supporting applications that require one to 32 axes.
The PMi-A, which offers CNC-style motion control for automated assembly and other applications, integrates seamlessly into virtually any production system using an ethernet connection for easy communication between robots and machines. Users who trust FANUC’s reliable control and servo technology and overall support for machine tools can expect the same performance and value in general-purpose motion control.
Intelligent Software and Factory Automation Demonstrations at Automate
We’ll also feature intelligent software such as iRVision, ROBOGUIDE, and Zero Down Time, along with FANUC’s latest factory automation products, including:
- Industrial PCs for All Needs: FANUC offers industrial PCs providing a powerful platform for custom developments in a wide variety of applications. Available in several different sizes and options, FANUC’s industrial PCs are fast, secure, and easy to use.
- Retrofit Solutions: FANUC’s CNC Retrofit Kits upgrade machine tools to improve the performance of legacy machines. For those interested in getting started, download the CNC Retrofit App to help collect and submit relevant machine information.
- For machine shops looking to take advantage of IoT data, MT-Link i provides real-time equipment status and conditions info as well as other important production and maintenance data.
High-Speed Spot Welding
The R-2000iD/210FH is part of FANUC’s extensive family of R-2000 industrial robots offering a variety of payloads and reaches. A compact design and hollow arm provide better cable management, minimizes interference with system equipment, and makes it easier to operate in tight workspaces. The R-2000iD/210FH has a 210kg payload and 2,605mm reach and is ideal for spot welding, material handling, and material removal applications.
At the show, the R-2000iD/210FH robot equipped with integrated FANUC Servo Gun Control and a hollow arm for spot welding dress out will perform simulated spot welding in and around a truck cab. The demonstration will highlight the FANUC Servo Tip Dresser option, which helps customers meet their quality and throughput goals. The Servo Tip Dresser option is easy to integrate, setup, and use and eliminates costly pneumatic and other auxiliary equipment commonly used for tip dressing.
Flexible Multi-Arm Welding
A FANUC R-1000iA/100F material handling robot uses iRVision® 3DV to locate and pick an auger from a rack and present it to an ARC Mate 100iD welding robot. Showcasing the flexibility of coordinated motion, the ARC Mate simulates welding the auger ‘flight to shaft’ as the R-1000iA rotates the part. Next, the R-1000iA repositions the augur and the ARC Mate uses SERVO ROBOT’s FUJI-CAM 2.0 sensor to track the augur’s outer edge and simulates hard face welding as the R-1000iA rotates the part to maintain a flat welding position.
High-Accuracy M-800iA/60 Robot with LS2Di-A Laser Scanner
A FANUC M-800iA/60 equipped with a robot-mounted LS3Di-A Scanner will pass over an automotive panel to simulate laser welding. The demonstration features FANUC’s laser interface for a third-party fiber laser using high-speed I/O to ensure high-precision process control. In addition, the laser scanner welding/marking process simulation uses a Class 2 visible guide laser (nLight). A key benefit is the M-800iA/60 robot’s capabilities for extremely fast applications that require the highest accuracy levels.
FANUC ROBODRILL Plus Vertical Machining Center
FANUC’s ROBODRILL DiB5 Plus vertical machining center comes available in three sizes to accommodate a wide range of precision operations. The ROBODRILL DiB5 Plus provides customers with unrivaled quality and precision features while maintaining a small footprint, enhancing overall efficiency. Utilizing the all-familiar DDRiB dual axes setup in a patent-pending application at FABTECH, see the ROBODRILL α-D21MiB5 ADV Plus perform high-speed milling, drilling, and tapping to demonstrate the pre-machining of a weldment to completion.
See FANUC’s Automated Solutions for Painting and Coating at FABTECH in Booth D-40523
At FABTECH, a FANUC CRX-10iA collaborative robot will utilize a BYK-maci end-of-arm tool to measure and collect color data on painted test panels. This automated process can help manufacturers determine if the final color meets their specifications. While cobots have not traditionally been used for automotive coating, the demonstration illustrates how companies can use cobots for paint inspection.
Also see FANUC’s paint-specific robot lineup (all designed and built in the US since 1982) and several robotic coating applications using vision guidance and coordinated motion.
Robotic Painting with Visual Tracking
A FANUC P-40iA paint robot uses iRVision 3DV and a new software feature called Visual Tracking for PaintTool to paint parts attached in random orientations on an overhead conveyor. First, the integrated robot vision sensor identifies the part type and orientation. Next, the robot’s HVLP spray gun simulates painting the part. The demonstration highlights the robot’s ability to quickly adapt to randomly oriented or shifting parts.
FANUC’s PaintTool™ software simplifies the setup and operation of FANUC paint robots. Combined with the power of iRVision’s 3DV Sensor, the new Visual Tracking for PaintTool enables customers to quickly and reliably track and paint random parts. This results in significant improvements in consistency and throughput.
FANUC P-40iA Robot Paints Guitar
A second P-40iA paint robot equipped with the R-30iB Plus Mate controller will demonstrate painting a wooden guitar body using coordinated motion with a turntable, which means that the robot will control the motor that rotates the part on the turntable. The robot will paint the part as it rotates a full 360 degrees, allowing coverage on all sides of the part.
The P-40iA robot has a 1,300 mm reach and a 5 kg payload while offering a compact arm design that fits into small work areas. It includes a cast aluminum body, purged and pressurized arm, FANUC’s purge module, and integrated solenoid valves for the gun trigger. Whether the application calls for liquid, powder, FRP chop, or gel, the FANUC P-40iA is ready for any applicator and application equipment, making it a complete solution for painting.
In addition, the P-40iA robot can be mounted in a variety of positions, including floor, invert, wall, or angle mounts to accommodate small or narrow workspaces. In addition, the P-40iA can be programmed offline using FANUC PaintTool robot software and uses FANUC’s latest high-performance R-30iB Mate Plus robot controller.
Paint Mate 200iA Visual Tracking
A Paint Mate 200iA robot will use iRVision 3DV and FANUC’s new software feature, Visual Tracking for PaintTool, to identify and define the orientation of an auger. The demonstration shows the robot’s ability to adapt to parts that may have shifted during the cycle. The Paint Mate 200iA then simulates painting the part with its HVLP spray gun. Once completed, the part is placed in a random location on the conveyor, and the cycle repeats. The demonstration utilizes FANUC’s new Visual Tracking for PaintTool software feature.
The compact Paint Mate 200iA is a versatile painting solution for smaller painting applications or assembly and handling operations requiring increased reach, even in hazardous environments.
FANUC experts will participate in several conference sessions at FABTECH. For more information visit.
