Kuka Robotics Demonstrates Integration

At EMO 2013 in Hanover, Germany, Partners in THINC member KUKA Robotics presented flexible solutions for the automation of CNC machine tools. The Augsburg-based company used a machine tool model to demonstrate the integration of a KR AGILUS-type KUKA robot. This extremely fast and precise small robot loads and unloads the machine tool. Additionally, another robot of the KR QUANTEC series takes care of downstream machining steps. The KR AGILUS not only appeared in the cell at the KUKA booth – the waterproof variant of the small robot also made its debut at EMO 2013. With its higher protection classification of IP67, the robot is protected against the ingress of dust and water, thus enabling it to meet the most important criteria for integration with a machine tool.

It is not only robots that greatly simplify automation of CNC machine tools; the software products from KUKA also play a major role. At EMO, KUKA Robotics demonstrated the close and advantageous interfacing of robots and machine tools. The software tools KUKA.CNC and mxAutomation are opening up new application perspectives for robotics. With these two software packages, KUKA offers suitable tools for the intelligent combination of robot and machine tool operation. KUKA robots talk the language of the user, thus placing the focus on operator control of the overall system.

Due to global competition, it is necessary to increase the operating time of CNC machine tools still further. Automation of machine tools with KUKA robots boosts productivity and reduces unit costs. In many cases, the integration of a robot with the machine tool pays for itself in less than a year.