Material Handling Robots

Overview

Material Handling and Logistics is the movement, protection, storage and control of materials and products throughout the process of their manufacture and distribution, consumption and disposal. By fitting the robot with an appropriate end-effector (e.g., gripper), the robot can grasp the object that needs to be moved. The robot may be mounted either stationary on the floor or on a traversing unit, enabling it to move from one workstation to another. The robot can also be ceiling mounted. Robots that are used for material handling in many cases can interface with other material handling equipment such as containers, conveyors, guided vehicles, monorails, automated storage/retrieval systems, and carousels.

Robotic material-handling applications range from tending injection-molding machines and machine tools, to reorienting parts between processes, to packaging and palletizing.

Pick and Place


In the pick.place applications, objects move quickly and precisely, one at a time, from one location to another.

Packing


Packing application is about the use of robots to organize a variety of items into boxes. It includes case packing - smaller boxes packed into larger ones, and racetrack packing - many items picked simultaneously with the aid of grippers.

Machine Tending

The robot provides both manipulative and transport capabilities. Robots can be used to grasp a work piece from a supply point (e.g., a conveyor belt), transport it to a machine, orient it, and then insert it into the machine work holder. This may require that the robot signal the machine tool when the work piece is in the correct position, so that the part can be secured in the work holder. The robot then releases the part and withdraws the arm so that machining can begin. Upon completion of the machining, the robot unloads the work piece and transfers it to another machine or conveyor. In a robotic cell, a single robot can service several machines. Examples of machine tending functions include the following:

Exchanging machine tools, such as lathe and machining centers;
Stamping press loading and unloading;
Tending plastic injection molding machines;
Holding a part for a spot welding operation;
Loading hot billets into forging presses;
Loading auto parts for grinding;
Loading gears onto CNC milling machines

Palletizing/de-palletizing

Robotic palletizers and depalletizers usually utilize 4, 5 or 6-axis jointed arm robots. Many palletizing applications handle more than one production line by building different loads at multiple positions inside the robot's work envelope. Cases, pails or bags can be picked individually, in rows or in layer quantities, depending on the application. Depalletizing frequently involves lifting complete layers of product and placing them on an unscrambler, which orients the product for the downstream conveyor system. Vision systems are frequently used to accurately locate layers in depalletizing applications.

Primary Benefits

The primary benefits of using robots for material handling are:

To reduce direct labor costs and remove humans from tasks that may be hazardous, tedious, or fatiguing.
A material handling robot can work 24 hours a day without worries or fatigue.
By using robotic system, outputs are consistent and higher quality.
The use of robots for moving fragile objects results in less damage to parts during handling.
Improves process flow due to predictability of cycle times; consistently runs at same speed with no breaks, shift changes, layoffs, or rehires.

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