New cobots can be up and running in moments with lead-through programming.
In industrial automation, robotics are usually thought of as large equipment to lift entire car bodies, extrusions, beams and other heavy things, but there’s always been a smaller class of robotics.
Collaborative robots, or cobots, are taking the desktop robotics world by storm, automating pick-and-place, electronics assembly and machine tending applications, to name just a few.
In the video above, we talk about the ease-of-use and safety features of cobots like ABB’s YuMi, with Phil Crowther, global product manager at ABB Robotics.
“We at ABB saw the need for automation in small parts assembly, that could assemble phones or watches and other small devices with a human,” said Crowther.
“The YuMi is also intended to fill roles where there is a lack of people, for example in dull jobs that are repetitious. Those applications are the best place for robotics, so human workers can be moved to better environments.”
The YuMi is designed to be lightweight, constructed with a magnesium skeleton, covered with a padded shell. With impact-sensing capabilities, if the YuMi were to bump into a human, the arms would come to a stop and the soft padding would prevent harm.
Smooth curves and open bends eliminate pinch-points, to prevent injury to a human worker’s fingers.
“The controller is built in the torso of the robot, so it is very simple to deploy,” Crowther added. “It has a wide-range power supply, which is 110 to 240 volts.”
End effectors for the YuMi include unique grippers, suctions, and more. End effectors can even come equipped with integrated vision systems.
Programming of the robot is also simplified.
On the simplest level, users can use a “lead-through” to reduce the weight of the arms to allow for manipulation. The arm’s positions can be changed and positions can be saved to provide an outline of the desired path. The saved sequence of positions can be played through for testing and changed as necessary.
For more complex applications, a deeper level of programming can be used.
For more information, watch the video above, learn more about YuMi in our Collaborative Robot Buyer’s Guide and visit ABB’s website.
