Carbon Fiber Robotics and Industrial Automation
Carbon fiber is an excellent option for many robotics and industrial automation applications. In industrial automation, two of the key drivers are cycle time and vibration. This is particularly the case with injection molding equipment, pick and place robots, and anywhere else in a factory setting where a part is moved or manipulated.
Heavy aluminum or steel end-of-arm tooling has advantages in terms of design simplicity and ease of assembly. Typically these assemblies are bolted, pinned, or welded together (some may have all of these types of joints). The disadvantages of metal end-of-arms is obvious, however. They are heavy, and thus cycle time limits are quickly reached whereby the robot cannot physically move the end-of-arm any faster without exceeding maximum loads. In addition, even if a larger robot is utilized, the mass of metal tooling often results in vibration, particularly at hard stops.
Carbon fiber end-of-arm tooling solves both of these challenges by increasing structural stiffness, while simultaneously reducing weight. The result is the ability of robots to move the payload quicker, reducing cycle time. Another option is to use a smaller robot, instead saving space and cost. In addition, higher stiffness to weight ratio means increased natural frequency. This in turn greatly reduces the vibration.
The engineers at Kumair have experience working with robotics and industrial automation integrators to implement carbon fiber composite solutions for robot arms, linkages, and end-of-arm tools. People often associate carbon fiber with high cost; however, a design optimized with carbon fiber may in fact cost less when considering acquisition cost, maintenance cost and downtime, and carbon fiber’s ability to perform far longer without failures than comparable metal components due to the lack of an endurance limit.
If your organization has a challenging cycle time or weight goal for a robotics or industrial automation project, call or email us to find out how carbon fiber composites may help.