Citation
(2009), "ABB extends welding offering with new robot", Industrial Robot, Vol. 36 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2009.04936cad.004
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ABB extends welding offering with new robot
Article Type: New products From: Industrial Robot: An International Journal, Volume 36, Issue 3
Metal product manufacturers can now improve production output and reduce capital costs with ABB’s new IRB 1600ID, integrated dressing (ID) robot. Featuring an extended reach and integrated cabling, the IRB 1600ID opens up new possibilities for the use of robots in arc welding applications.
The IRB 1600ID offers an extended reach of 1.5 m, enabling the robots to access areas that are difficult to reach, ensuring manufacturers have an extreme degree of control over welding operations. Additional flexibility is provided by an increased payload of up to 4 kg, enabling the IRB 1600ID to be used in a broader range of applications because the arm is capable of handling different types of welding equipment.
The IRB 1600ID’s ID is designed to keep all cables inside the upper arm of the robot, reducing the probability of damage from sharp edges snagging on exposed cables which can be expensive and time-consuming to fix. The new dresspack is designed to protect essential parts, but also to eliminate blind spots, which on a conventional robot is caused by the external routing and unpredictable motion of the dresspack whilst in operation.
In contrast to conventional robot models, where programmers attempt to predict certain aspects of movement during the welding process, IRB 1600ID allows the dresspack to follow every motion of the robot arm, without swinging or causing wear and reducing cable lifetime and ensuring a longer and more predictable lifetime. The ID also makes the robots outer dimensions smaller than conventional robots, extending the robot system’s real working range, a crucial factor when welding on fixtures with a complex geometry. It also eliminates the risk of damaging the dresspack in case of collision with the fixture.
The integration of the IRB 1600ID minimises stoppage time through less wear and tear on moving parts and a predictable, defined production cycle which increases the robot’s reliability and justifies long-term investment.