When you think about it logically, it makes so much sense to build a machine tool with an integrated robot from the ground up as part of the build, so much so that you wonder why no one has thought of it before.

The advantages are obvious: First, you will not incur additional costs for hiring a third-party system integrator (which may be considerable), because the integration is built-in by default; second, the design saves space because the robot is hidden in the machine’s Within the scope of work; last but not least, machine tools and robots share a common and familiar CNC/operation panel interface.

The Armroid (Intelligent Design of Arm Robots) machine was debuted by Okuma at EMO 2019. In the case of the United Kingdom, the official release was designated for MACH 2020-but then COVID-19 occurred.

Now, NCMT aims to be launched in February 2021. By then, some clarifications will be made on COVID, and of course, the vaccine rollout plan should proceed smoothly. All goes well, and the strictly controlled machine demonstration will be up and running in the Coventry showroom at the beginning of the new year.

Compared with the traditional machine/stocker/robot layout, the Armroid machine occupies a much smaller area

"We look forward to showing this technology because, in essence, the concept of designing robots into the machine tool itself is unique to Okuma," NCMT's department sales director Ian Horton affirmed.

"It's all about control: If you fix a third-party robot on a machine tool, you may introduce additional complexity in terms of ensuring that the machine and the robot communicate effectively with each other. You can program the machine-but you still need "Teach" the robot to perform a specific process.

“For the Armroid machine, since the design and manufacture of the machine and the robot are seamlessly operated by Okuma's OSP (Okuma Sampling Path) P300 CNC, the control system always knows the position of the robot relative to the machine,” he continued.

"You only need to program at the start and end of the robot, and as long as you enable the software's collision avoidance system and correctly model the process, the robot will never collide with any objects within the processing range. To assist in programming, it is also There is a manual pulse handle for precise positioning.

"Okuma's OSP control and Roid Navi programming software make everything very simple through picture views and walkthrough guides; all the smart things are done behind the scenes-you certainly don't need to be an automation expert to use it.

"This is also very intuitive-the software checks whether the path is clear before continuing, so for example, if you have to introduce a new tool in the process, this becomes a technical obstacle. However, if the new tool is already built in the software Modulus, it will know its existence and automatically compensate to generate a new path."

"All of this is to save time and maximize productivity. The Armroid machine does not require an operator to stand in front of the machine to load and unload parts, but effectively frees people to perform other tasks; for example, if the settings need to be broken down to accommodate one-time Work, then just move the parts stocker aside and use the machine as usual."

(LR): NCMT's Okuma product general manager Richard Turner and department sales director Ian Horton in front of the Okuma LB3000EX II Space Turn II lathe

Because we are talking about high-mix, low-volume, Armroid machines are not designed for light-off scenarios. In this case, the same part is mass-produced all night. Rather, it is all about giving the operator more time to do other things-such as setting up another machine. Minimizing non-cutting time is the top priority here.

Armroid technology is currently available for two Okuma machine models: Multus B250II horizontal multi-task CNC milling/turning center and LB3000EX II Space Turn II lathe-currently being set up and expected to be used in the NCMT showroom.

The former has a maximum turning diameter of 600mm, a maximum turning length of 750mm, and a spindle speed of 5,000rpm. The maximum payload of the robot here is 10 kg. The latter is Okuma's flagship 2-axis lathe with a high-quality box-type inclined bed and a proven thermal design. The maximum robot payload of this model is 5kg.

From a general point of view, Okuma's market reputation for producing high-precision, ultra-reliable, and extremely accurate machine tools is not a problem here. Adding an integrated robot to the equation will only enhance the already impressive capabilities of the machine.

The stocker itself has three variants: the first two-racks (two or four racks) and carousel-type indexable pitch feed conveyors are mainly designed for shaft operations; the third type-with liftable workpieces Table-used to process billets.

Although there are obvious physical limitations on the number of raw materials/finished parts that a stockist can hold, they have sufficient capacity for short-term production. For example, two racks can hold six blanks and six finished products with a maximum diameter of 80 mm; a four-layer rack can handle 10 blanks and 6 finished components with a diameter of up to 50 mm.

The pitch feed conveyor includes 18 stations and can handle parts up to 80 mm in diameter. The lift-type workpiece table (blank) feeder has six stations and the maximum diameter capacity is 150mm. In terms of the length of the workpiece, the shaft accumulator is 440mm, and the blank is 150mm.

The end effector configuration is undoubtedly a highlight of the entire Armroid concept. There are four options: a parallel workpiece hand; a 3-jaw gripper workpiece hand; a workpiece support roller; and a mixed coolant/air nozzle. Up to three end effectors (but only one workpiece hand) can be installed at any time.

"These end effectors are very versatile," Mr. Turner said excitedly. "The parallel two-finger gripper is ideal for shaft machining applications and some blank processing; the three-finger gripper is specifically designed for blank operations, and you can pick up material from the end instead of the side.

"The support roller end effector provides in-situ support for the long shaft during machining," he added. "It's a bit like a stabilizer, except that it doesn't clamp the outer diameter. Instead, it supports the shaft from below and is very effective in minimizing vibration.

"The air/coolant nozzle does what it says on the tin. Its main benefit is to break down the thin wire chips that can wrap around the shaft diameter. This can be programmed to make the nozzle follow a specific path-for example, just in the cutting tool Behind-to prevent accumulation of chips.

"It can also be used to initiate a thorough machine cleaning cycle to remove chips and debris from the work area after the process is complete."

Replacing the end effector is fully automated and does not require manual intervention-provided by the integrated storage/storage unit located at the rear of the machine. The design of the fixture obviously takes automation into account, but the support roller and air/coolant nozzle can be very effectively used for non-automated single-piece processing.

"But I also believe that they will attract small precision subcontractors specializing in high-mix, low-volume production. These companies usually don't know what will happen next, so they-and their machines-must be highly flexible and adaptable. sex.

"We would urge companies that want to enter the field of automation to look at the Armroid machine. The benefits are obvious: small footprint; guaranteed machine/robot compatibility; easy to use and operate, and there are no hidden costs from additional resources such as system integrators. "

NCMT www.ncmt.co.uk

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