How Do You Correctly Design Energy Supplies for Six-Axis Robots?

These days, six-axis robots are more or less standard in the manufacturing industry. The six movement axes between the base, swinging bracket, and arm offer a high degree of freedom and allow a variety of sequences. However, they also place demands on the design of the dress packs and the components inside them. The three relevant questions here are: what type of robot are we talking about? Which function should it fulfil? How and in which environment should the robot be installed? Industry roughly distinguishes between longarm, short-arm, and heavy-duty robots, with the arms of the latter being able to carry heavy loads. Structure and length have a direct influence on the size of the energy supply. Normally, a single pack is rarely fitted as far as the sixth axis. Instead, manufacturers tend to use two dress packs with an interface on the second or third axis. As most of the movement takes place between axes three and six, maintenance costs are reduced by allowing the more heavily stressed section to be replaced independently. The next important consideration is the intended task of the robot. If it is a grabber robot, it only needs compressed air and power. On the other hand, a robot with welding tongs requires an extensive pack with air supply, water feed and return, and wires for the welding current. It is not worth covering all eventualities at this stage though. It’s far more cost-effective to fit a robot with just the basics and upgrade it later, if and when necessary, than to furnish it with a fully equipped yet unused dress pack. Finally, the installation site and type play a crucial role. The aim here is to determine and account for the interfering contours and movements of neighboring robots. The movement sequences are simulated beforehand to ascertain the best assembly configuration for each individual robot. To enable an optimal start to each robot’s productive work, Robotec-Systems offers its customers joint initiation on site. This involves making final tweaks to the software and adjusting the position of the energy supply to ensure a long service life on the shop floor.