Machine Tending Software

ABB offers an integrated set of software tools that uses ABB’s extensive experience in robotic machine tending to reduce operational expenditure and increase productivity. The software delivers easy and flexible programming, straightforward configuration and trouble-free operation of ABB robots in machine tending cells. Whether you are a robot programmer or an application specialist, the full range of software helps you to improve your machine tending process, reduce risks and maximize the return of investment of your robot systems.

Our offering

Machine Sync

RobotStudio Machine Tending PowerPac

RoboWare Machine Tending

SoftMove

Saving time is saving money, and when it comes to reducing the time needed for opening and closing machines for extraction, the seconds saved can be substantial.

Machine Sync, based on long experience of robotized machine tending, further increases the output of robot production by coordinating the opening and closing of the machine, thereby reducing cycle time. Furthermore, by synchronizing the opening and closing, robot wear will be reduced and collisions can be avoided.

Increasing production output

The obvious benefit of Machine Sync is the reduced extraction time, thereby improving machine cycle time and increasing production output. In a typical case with an injection moulding machine in the range of 3000 tons moulding a typical automotive part and an IRB 6650 shelf robot, the saving in extraction time using synchronized early enter and early closing is above 10 per cent. Extrapolating this number for a machine running three shifts all year round with an extraction time of 10 seconds and a complete cycle time of 30 seconds would yield 35,000 more parts produced.

Applications

Machine tending and material handling, especially injection moulding, die casting, machine tools and press tending.

Safety included

Since the position on the robot path is synchronized with the machine reaching different positions, Machine Sync also ensures the safety of the application. Compared to just setting one intermediate signal when the machine is half open and then letting the robot enter, Machine Sync has a higher degree of safety and collision avoidance. Special safety zones, which can be configured depending on, e.g., the gripper dimensions and its geometry, allows safe operation in manual as well as in automatic mode.

Features

By synchronizing the robot’s movement with a linear sensor on a machine’s moving plate:
Early enter - the robot is synchronized with the machine while entering it,
Early closing - the machine can safely close early since the robot is synchronized with the moving plate when leaving the machine.

> Data Sheet

Download RobotStudio, RobotWare and PowerPacs

RobotStudio Machine Tending PowerPac is an add-on for RobotStudio

It provides a platform for quick, easy creation and editing of machine tending robot cells in a 3D virtual environment. With a library of common grippers and station types, and built-in support for most machines and peripheral equipment, getting a cell up and running in the virtual world is easy. In addition, safety is simplified with the capability to define safe home position movements in a virtual environment.

> Data sheet

Download RobotStudio, RobotWare and PowerPacs

RobotWare Machine Tending is a flexible controller software for deployment and operation of ABB robots

It includes an intuitive graphical user interface, that enables trouble-free and safe operation, easy production monitoring & control, as well as automatic program and part selection. Although the interface has been designed so that less skilled operators can control most common tasks, the software also provides unlimited access to powerful RAPID coding tools for more advanced users.

RobotWare Machine Tending features include:

Graphical operator screen
Cycle handling & program control
Station configuration & error handling
Gripper control & Hot editing
Part & signal configuration
Safe & Automatic HomeRun
Service & Setup routine
RAPID Framewok

> Data sheet

Download RobotStudio, RobotWare and PowerPacs

Robot compliance in one Cartesian direction

Efficient interaction between robot and machine SoftMove is a software option that allows the robot to be compliant or floating in order to adjust to external forces or variations in work objects. This can be used in a typical machine tending application where the machine, e.g. an injection moulding machine or die casting machine, ejects a part. With SoftMove, the robot is compliant in one direction only, which facilitates high accuracy and reliability. The option reduces robot programming time and enables efficient interaction between robot and machine, which reduces cycle time.

Features:

Lowers the stiffness of the robot in a specified Cartesian direction while mainly maintaining the original behavior in other directions
Robot can be “free floating” in a specified direction
Robot can have a spring function in a specified direction
Stiffness and damping parameters controlling the compliance
Gravity compensation - The stiffness can also be lowered in a vertical direction

> Application Manual
> Data sheet

Download RobotStudio, RobotWare and PowerPacs

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