Collaborative robot product line to launch at Automate

Precise Automation will introduce a family of intrinsically-safe benchtop collaborative robots at Automate 2015 in Chicago from March 23-26.

The robots—which are designed with the collaborative user in mind—were developed for applications that, according to Precise Automation, could never be automated before. The robots are available in three models:

• SCARA: The PF400 Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm collaborative four-axis robot.
• 6-axis articulated: The PAVP6 (pictured) tabletop six-axis articulated robot.
• Cartesian: The PP100 Cartesian robot.

These collaborative robots feature a motion controller, harnesses, and power supplies embedded within their structure. The motion controller, the Precise Guidance Motion Controller, offers gravity balanced free mode teaching aids and capabilities for automatically generating motion sequences. In addition, the robots feature Ethernet interface (featuring PC control via an open source TCP/IP Command Server), kinematics for Cartesian motions, an embedded web server that permits the robot to be operated locally via a standard browser executed on a PC, a wireless tablet, or remotely.

If the robots required machine vision, then Precise Automation’s PreciseVision can be added to the robots. PreciseVision is a machine vision software package that runs on a PC and connects to a guidance controller and to cameras via Ethernet.

The software is intended for such applications as locating fiducials on circuit boards, feeding parts from trays or conveyor belts, sampling fluids and solids in the life science industries, and assembling precision parts in the electronics and mechanical parts industries. PreciseVision directly interfaces to GigE cameras from Teledyne DALSA, or to IDS Imaging Development Systems USB cameras. The software features such tools for locating, identifying, measuring and inspecting parts.

"Unlike most other collaborative robots, which are intrinsically dangerous mechanisms operating in a collaborative mode, Precise's new family of robots are specifically designed for benchtop, collaborative applications," said Brian Powell, Vice President of Sales and Operations, United States. "Our mechanisms are intrinsically safe in all operation modes and are currently being used without safety shields in a variety of applications around the world, including consumer electronics manufacturing, life sciences and pharmaceutical testing and small parts handling and assembly."

He added, "Precise's full family of SCARA, Articulated and Cartesian desktop robots has us uniquely positioned to service a new generation of collaborative users."

Collaborative robots, as of late, are quite the hot topic. Last year, the Robotics Industries Association held its first Collaborative Robots Workshop at the AIA Vision Show, and as a result of its success, the association held an additional stand-alone workshop in Silicon Valley.

"The robotics industry is at a critical inflection point where traditional industrial robots are emerging from behind their cages and working alongside people," said Jeff Burnstein, President of the Association for Advancing Automation, when speaking on the RIA event.

View more information on Precise Automation robots.

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