The Smart Flex Effector compensation module is said to increase the range of applications for robots because it sensitively compensates for tolerances in real-time. Users can, therefore, automate the joining process, complicated assembly movements or difficult handling tasks. It can also be retrofitted in existing robotic applications.
Thomas Donato, member of the executive board responsible for the factory automation business at Bosch Rexroth, said: “Bosch Rexroth is shaping the future of automation by intelligently linking hardware and software. Through the interaction of sensors and software, industrial robots can relieve employees of repetitive or strenuous tasks.”
Up until now, robots could only perform gripping and assembly tasks to a high-quality standard if the workpieces were always exactly at the programmed position. Even the slightest positional deviations resulted in errors because the usually rigid programming cannot sense and react flexibly.
The Smart Flex Effector is designed for use on robots such as articulated robots or Cartesian linear systems and is based on a kinematic system with six degrees of freedom. Via Sensitive Touch, sensors detect the position of the workpieces to be gripped and report the actual position in real time to the controller, which adapts the gripper's motion sequence to the specific position. As a result, the Smart Flex Effector can automatically compensate for tolerances when removing and positioning workpieces. This reduces the programming required, especially when handling different workpieces. In addition, employees without programming knowledge can also teach robots manually by moving the gripper into the correct position by hand. The Smart Flex Effector was developed in cooperation with Bosch Research.
The compensation module can also safely handle workpieces made from delicate materials such as glass. It is expected to improve process monitoring and quality because each movement is recorded as a data set and documented. Based on the data, the control system or higher-level systems are expected to detect troublesome deviations straight away. These are either corrected or reported to the operating personnel. This prevents errors and avoids unnecessary costs owing to rejects or follow-up work.
The Smart Flex Effector can also be retrofitted into existing robots as it communicates with the relevant controllers via interfaces. This opens up a range of applications for which there were no economical automation solutions in the past.