Cincinnati Automation had a wonderful opportunity to participate in the 2017 International Rubber Expo this past month in Cleveland, OH. A top customer asked CA to supply a robotic unloading system for their booth where they were planning to exhibit one of their top-of-the-line injection molding presses. A photo of the system is shown above with the robot in front of the press.
The show is known for major equipment exhibits and this year was no exception. However, the one major change was robotic automation being showcased in the both with Cincinnati Automation. Robotic automation is very common in the injection molding industry for plastics for anything from press loading and unloading to assembly and testing. For some reason though, in the rubber industry, the compositions and complications that come with the territory have hindered the population of robotics at this particular stage in the process. Cincinnati Automation is determined to change this, and the 2017 International Rubber Expo was a major chance to do just that.
The system supplied was a Fanuc LR-Mate long arm robot with a specialized servo controlled end of arm gripper to pick the parts out of the mold, show them to a Keyence XG vision system, and place the parts in good and bad collection bins. The system was controlled with an Allen Bradley PLC and used an Euromap communication system that interfaced with the injection press. The communication went both ways and the press could not operate if the robot said it wasn’t ready, and visa versa.
The robotic system was the hit of the show. It ran without a hitch for the entirety of the exhibit, and dozens of interested prospects were asking questions until the very end. Cincinnati Automation is capable of supplying a robotic automation system to solve needs across all industries and would be happy to discuss any potential projects.
While this specific project was in regards to a rubber injection molding press, this theory can be applied across many industries. For questions about similar projects or potential applications send Cincinnati Automation an email to info@cincinnatiautomation.com.
