New Machining Cell for Milling with Robot

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█ New machining cell for milling with robot

Flexible and universally applicablemachining cell

toolcraft presents the RoboBox robot cell – a talent made to measure

Georgensgmünd (Germany), January 21, 2014: Component machining with robots instead of CNC machine tools are gaining importance. There are reasons for this: the robot is highly flexible and can be universally adjusted to different tasks – with minimal, often acceptable limitations to precision. Above all, this results in a very cost-effective solution for industrial machining. toolcraft is premièring the RoboBox in installation size H1,800xW1,800xD1,800 mm. The special charm of this solution is the offline programming in the same programming language as for CNC machine tools. What can we expect from such a made to measure ‘all-round talent’?

The new RoboBox machining cell from toolcraft is completely new. It combines a 6-axis articulated arm robot by Stäubli in a closed production module with a 7.5 kW strong, water-cooled milling spindle. A slotted table ensures the precise fixing of the components. A zero-point clamping system or a round table can also be used.

A real all-in-one machine tool

Milling is the standard task for the RoboBox. But other finishes and post-processing options are also possible – when switching tasks, the robot in the RoboBox fetches another tool from the tool magazine. The RoboBox is a universal solution for many tasks and various materials. In post-processing injection moulding processes, such as deburring, in model construction or woodworking, for example. New possibilities include unrestricted access to the component without having to turn it over, as well as expanding the robot's working area through the use of external linear or rotary axes, which can be used simultaneously or indexed. All this saves the user a lot of time through the fast turnaround times to the finished component.

Flexibly prepared for all kinds of tasks

The closed machining room is fitted with manual chipping extraction. Extraction can be automated if desired. Eight tool positions are available as standard for different machining tasks, from which the system can automatically take the desired tools without re-clamping. The tool changer can of course be expanded if the task requires it. The operator selects one of two modes: a) the component is supplied to the process (remote TCP applications) or b) clamped and processed by the robot.

A key feature of the RoboBox: offline programming

The RoboBox machining cell robot does not have to be conventionally ‘taught’. All kinematic movements are programmed using the Mastercam Robotmaster software before starting work. All the robot's movements are visually recorded as kinematics through simulation and optimised, and then loaded onto the machining cell's hard disk before work begins. Unlike teaching a conventional robot, no original or reference model is required here. The robot find all paths independently from the first part and processes the components from batch size 1 to batch size N. The RoboBox does of course have anti-collision protection for reliable machining. This approach is not only a reliable process – it also increases the system availability. The RoboBox is a customised all-round solution: from the product concept through the design, the construction to the final inspection and QA with CE labelling.

Machine Tool 2.0 – highly flexible in use

As a machining cell, robot and machining room form a unit that can be used wherever needed as a module of a universal machine tool in production. Depending on the equipment, the RoboBox can perform classic metal machining such as turning, milling, polishing and grinding sequentially. This means the component can be made and refined on the spot. The robot does not just perform the loading and unloading of the workpieces. As part of a continuous process chain, upstream and downstream tasks are performed on the workpiece – in the same programming language as that of the machine tools. This results in metal components from various areas of application for engine parts, from functional elements to inserts in tool making.

RoboBox – a machining cell made to measure

Depending on the component's size or range of tasks, toolcraft systems are custom-sized. This means large bodywork parts or components requiring high impact from the robot are processed with larger robots whilst other tasks are better suited to a medium-sized or small robot with their enormous access options in the room. The machining room size results from the tasks specified by the user.

Optional interview for the editor:

Interview with Thomas Wieland, team leader engineeringat toolcraft

Editor: Your solution sounds like an ‘all in one’ solution. But CNC machine tools are trimmed to μ-level precision. So why this solution?

Thomas Wieland: If very high demands are made on precision, then a modern CNC machine is undoubtedly preferable for a specialist task. But this does not apply to a number of components where it is mainly various machining steps that need to be processed. This is where the robot comes into play with its very high level of flexibility in the 3D space and in the use of different machining tools.

Editor: What does this flexibility mean for the user?

Thomas Wieland: It changes the way we view processes and component design. Today, manufacturers of industrial robots integrate CNC programs according to DIN 66025 into their controls in such as way as to make this solution possible. This means that the RoboBox machining cell with robot becomes a highly flexible, universal machine tool. But the best bit is: the application now defines the system – not the system the component.

Editor: What specifically can the RoboBox do better than a modern CNC machine tool?

Thomas Wieland: The RoboBox articulated arm robot is used at points that would not be possible without re-clamping on a CNC machine. When the first step is complete, it takes up another task. Depending on the task, it can finish the component at various points without having to leave the construction space. Special CNC machine tools require a certain investment. In the end, the classic question remains for users: can I always utilise this CNC machine?

Editor: Highly complex component manufacturing is part of toolcraft's core tasks. Why are you bringing out a robot cell as a complete solution for the market?

Thomas Wieland: We have identified a growing demand for complete solutions. The customer wants one unit of hardware and software. This is the crux of the issue.

Editor: Which target group is this solution intended for?

Thomas Wieland: The system perfectly complements existing production systems with its flexibility, or it enables a ‘start-up’ solution with a reasonable investment. This makes RoboBox attractive for many applications.

Editor: Thank you for talking to us.

Table: The RoboBox features

flexible thanks to large construction space (can be dimensioned as desired)
6-axis articulated arm robot by Stäubli (robot size and make can be selected)
high availability through offline programming without teaching or reference part
8 tool positions as standard (expandable)
slotted table (optional: zero-point clamping system or round table)
7.5 kW water-cooled milling spindle (individually replaceable)
external axes can be used
manual extraction (can be automated)
various materials can be machined
anti-collision protection for reliable machining

Reprint permitted – copy requested

Captions ██████████████████████████████████████████████

C 0 (lead picture): Compact and modular machine tool with integrated robot: RoboBox by toolcraft

C 1: Key feature: offline programming of RoboBox ensures reliable machining and high availability

C 2: Thomas Wieland: ‘The machining cell with robot is a highly flexible, universal machine tool. The robot is used at points that would not be possible without re-clamping on a CNC machine.’

C 3: Well-prepared for different tasks: tool magazine with 2x4 positions

C 4: High precision on the component through exact positioning ensures more flexibility without re-clamping – either on a slotted table, round table or zero-point clamping system

C 5a+b:The operator selects one of two modes: a) the component is supplied to the process (remote TCP applications) or b) clamped and processed by the robot.

toolcraft at Medtec 2014 in Stuttgart: Hall 5; Booth 5B63 ███████████

Contact details ████████████████████████████████████████

MBFZ toolcraft GmbH

Handelsstrasse 1

D-91166 Georgensgmuend

Germany

Phone: +49 (0) 9172 69 56 - 0

Email:

Internet:

For further information:

Tina Hartmann

Marketing

Email:

Tel.:+49 (0) 9172 69 56 - 172

About toolcraft

Toolcraft is partner of research and development departments in almost all industrial sectors. The range of services is unusually wide. As an associate of engineers and designersof the semiconductors, optical industry and opto-electronics, special machinery manufacturing, motor sports and automotive, medical technology, aerospace, defence and security, toy and consumer goods industry as well as the printing industry toolcraft manufacturesprecision parts, assemblies and moulds.

Thereby toolcraft values long-term business relationships to solve even the most extraordinary tasks in the shortest possible time, to the complete satisfaction of its clients in the industrial sector and universities.

Part of the corporate philosophy is an intensive cooperation with partners,such as unicam Software GmbH, YPTI Indonesia, CONCEPT Laser GmbH, Solidpro GmbH, to offer technologically and economically convincing holistic solutions.

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