Multi-axis cable carrier on palletizing robot increases cable service life

Profile

• What was needed: triflex® R energy chain with triflex® RS universal module
• Requirements: The energy supply system should permanently protect all cables under continuous operation of the palletizing robot and also be able to withstand torsional movements.
• Industry: Robotics
• Success for the customer: With the triflex® e-chain® including retraction module, safety and durability of the cables are guaranteed. Expensive plant downtimes are a thing of the past.

triflex® R instead of corrugated hose: The multi-axis energy chain protects the cables and safely follows the complex movements of the palletizing robot in the packaging system.

Problem

The company Transnova-RUF offers solutions for end-of-line packaging and palletizing tasks from planning and construction to commissioning. The range includes individual compact machines for top and side loading or picker systems for fast pick & place applications. In addition, robot systems for picking, palletizing and depalletizing tasks for packaging systems are being developed, whereby the specialist integrates more than 200 robots per year into machine environments. Important for robot palletizing technology: When handling cartons, buckets, sacks, plastic cushions, etc., everything must be highly flexible and reliable. This was also the case for a new project in which a packaging system with a length of approx. 60 m for the packaging of film rolls was equipped with nine robot systems for handling. Since each film roll is manufactured specifically to order and differs in length, thickness, weight and sometimes also in material, the robots and a long-arm robot for palletizing the finished cardboard boxes must work particularly flexibly. The respective packaging weight of the containers is between 2 kg and 60 kg, the conveyor speed is approx. 40 m/min. 20 rolls per minute can be packed. The high performance of the system as well as the continuous operation seven days a week led to considerations of the correct cable routing of the palletizing robot. This is because a corrugated hose cannot keep up with the strong rotational movements in axes 3 to 6. The high risk of torsion entails risks such as the rupture of the hose and thus also line damage. As a result, the entire plant would come to a standstill and lead to high downtime costs.

Solution

The company Transnova-RUF offers solutions for end-of-line packaging and palletizing tasks from planning and construction to commissioning. The range includes individual compact machines for top and side loading or picker systems for fast pick & place applications. In addition, robot systems for picking, palletizing and depalletizing tasks for packaging systems are being developed, whereby the specialist integrates more than 200 robots per year into machine environments. Important for robot palletizing technology: When handling cartons, buckets, sacks, plastic cushions, etc., everything must be highly flexible and reliable. This was also the case for a new project in which a packaging system with a length of approx. 60 m for the packaging of film rolls was equipped with nine robot systems for handling. Since each film roll is manufactured specifically to order and differs in length, thickness, weight and sometimes also in material, the robots and a long-arm robot for palletizing the finished cardboard boxes must work particularly flexibly. The respective packaging weight of the containers is between 2 kg and 60 kg, the conveyor speed is approx. 40 m/min. 20 rolls per minute can be packed. The high performance of the system as well as the continuous operation seven days a week led to considerations of the correct cable routing of the palletizing robot. This is because a corrugated hose cannot keep up with the strong rotational movements in axes 3 to 6. The high risk of torsion entails risks such as the rupture of the hose and thus also line damage. As a result, the entire plant would come to a standstill and lead to high downtime costs.

The triflex® R e-chain® is designed for fast insertion of the different cables.

Components for the multidimensionally movable energy supply system from the modular system.

On axis 1, the axis of rotation, the energy supply system "twisterchain" proves itself. Here it is used with a rotary movement of 180°.

The compact "triflex® RS" set is used on axles 4 to 6. With this universal module, the energy chain is always guided parallel to the robot arm in a space-saving manner.

Energy supply system "triflex® R" with integrated retraction spring. As a result, a directional bias is always generated to prevent line stress.