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Kassow Robots has launched a brand new line of compact collaborative robotic arms (cobots) designed to combine with cell robots. The brand new Edge Version cobots are smaller, totally built-in manipulators designed for cell manipulation functions.
The brand new cobots function a direct DC connection from battery energy, enabling them to function whereas mounted to a cell robotic. They provide distant energy on/off management, permitting for management from the cell robotic controllers or a PLC. The cobots can run in computerized mode with no educate pendant, streamlining operations. The cobots have an ordinary footprint of 160x200mm (6.2″x7.9″) making certain compatibility with numerous functions.
Kassow Robots’ cobots are outfitted with sensors that detect overload, making certain protected operation in shared workspaces. This eliminates the necessity for particular security measures, increasing the vary of functions to incorporate repetitive, harmful, and soiled duties. Nonetheless, an intensive danger evaluation should be carried out earlier than deploying the cobots in any atmosphere.
The cobots are additionally modular, leveraging Kassow Robots’ current accomplice ecosystem that permits integration of varied peripherals, grippers, imaginative and prescient programs, or perform extensions.
Bosch Rexroth acquired a majority stake in Kassow Robots in March 2022 for an undisclosed quantity. Kassow Robots exited stealth mode at Automatica 2018. It was co-founded in 2014 by Kristian Kassow, former co-founder of Common Robots, which is the main developer of cobots. Based in 2005 by Kassow, Esben Østergaard and Kasper Støy, Common Robots was acquired in 2015 by Teradyne for $285 million.
Kristian Kassow supplies extra insights concerning the Edge Version cobots within the Q&A beneath.
Why did you develop the Edge Version?
Kristian Kassow: Our aim has at all times been to make it as straightforward as potential for our prospects to combine cobots into their manufacturing, with an specific concentrate on SMEs. Our Edge Version provides a number of benefits right here: it’s designed for industrial use, provides a excessive degree of maneuverability due to its 7 axes, and delivers distinctive compactness. It additionally has a small footprint of simply 160 x 200 millimeters. That’s as a result of we now have miniaturized the controller to only 10 p.c of the unique dimension and built-in it into the robotic base. One other profit value mentioning is that the Edge Version will be simply linked to any DC energy provide, such because the battery of a cell robotic.
What buyer teams are you concentrating on with the Edge Version?
Kassow: Numerous them, all industries with intralogistics duties at their manufacturing websites can profit from our Edge Version. The Edge Version provides the extra advantage of being a multifunctional cobot, permitting customers to modify between duties seamlessly. This contains the power to make use of it for the manufacturing of Product A, adopted by a top quality examine, after which for palletizing.
The Edge Version comes into play and reveals off its benefits when a cobot turns into an environment friendly assistant to cell robots. We imagine that cell functions would be the major use for the Edge Version. This implies utilizing cobots together with an AMR or AGV.
Are you able to inform us extra about utilizing a cobot as a cell manipulator?
Kassow: A method through which the cobot will be made cell is by transferring the light-weight cobot set up to a brand new location and programming it for a brand new software. The programming of a cobot is far simpler than within the case of a standard industrial robotic. One other strategy to benefit from mobility is to make use of it for a similar duties that come up at numerous areas through the manufacturing course of. Let me offer you an instance. A mix of an AGV/ AMR and a cobot can take over the duty to care for the loading of packing containers that shall be used for packaging.
Why does the Edge Version contribute to a straightforward integration of AGV/AMR-cobot options?
Kassow: The Edge Version saves area as a result of the robotic arm and controller type a compact unit that may be put in shortly. As well as, as talked about earlier, the direct present (DC) connection on all Edge Version cobots satisfies all the necessities for connecting a cobot on to the battery of an AGV or AMR. On the finish of the day, we need to make it simpler for our prospects to combine cobots into cell options. A take a look at as we speak’s AGVs and AMRs shortly reveals simply how little area they provide. Robotic controllers are largely cumbersome, making it more durable to automate duties. Our Edge Version cobots function a slim base. We assist system integrators and finish prospects simplify the implementation of those AGV/AMR & cobot options.