Product category:
Handling and automation equipment
News Release from: ABB Automation Technologies | Subject: Plastics - Mould robot software
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 14 November 2005
Software minimises mould robot set-up
times
Plastics - Mould is a software product for easy programming of ABB robots used for plastic injection moulding applications, which minimises learning curve, set-up time and error recovery time.
ABB, the global power and automation technologies group, introduces RobotWare Plastics - Mould, a new software product for easy programming of ABB robots used for plastic injection moulding applications Compatible with ABB six-axis robots IRB 140, 1400, 1600, 2400, 4400, 6600 and their variants, RobotWare Plastics - Mould minimises learning curve, set-up time and error recovery time, while improving error diagnostic accuracy
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 23 May 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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To make the installation of robot and injection moulding machine even faster, ABB supports Euromap standards (12 or 67) and SPI - with the interface preconfigured in the IRC5 controller.
Euromap is available with RobotWare Plastics or as stand alone.
RobotWare Plastics - Mould is easy to program, generating intuitive step-by-step symbols through the graphical user interface.
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Thus, the most inexperienced operator can become productive in minimum time, a built-in program wizard guiding the operator through the set-up.
The operator starts the customised cycles, (typically for injection moulding production 'run machine without robot', 'machine warm-up', 'quality control', etc) by a simple keystroke in the production window.
Robot movement is displayed in real time by the 'active status' and 'station status', indicated by green and red 'station' icons on the colour screen.
Production statistics, signal status and error log are presented in a 'teach mode' fashion, while graphical representations are available including cell overview, image of produced part, robot cycles used for machine tending, and full colour status and error indications.
In the event that a problem occurs in one station, RobotWare Plastics - Mould allows the robot to continue production around the problem.
Additionally, if the power supply is cut off during operation, the robot is able to restart at exactly the precise position and system status as before the power failure.
The secure and automatic 'home run' system takes the robot safely from any situation where it has stopped without any need to jog the robot in difficult areas.
Additionally, to ensure safe operation throughout any given cycle, 'safety zones' can be programmed in to the system.
RobotWare Plastics - Mould is not only easy-to-install, productive and safe, but also cost efficient, reducing training costs as the modularised program structure, program wizard and graphical production window, together decrease the time required for operator training.
Complementing the integrity of the software system, the IRC5 robot controller incorporates an advanced user authorisation system (UAS) for administration of users and access rights connected to user names and passwords.
Through a user interface, UAS helps users access all relevant system information, while safeguarding integrity by allowing only the authorised operators and programmers access to functions.
RobotWare Plastics - Mould is part of RobotWare, a family of controller software designed to make manufacturing systems more productive and lower the cost of owning and operating a robot.
RobotWare ensures optimal process performance through ABB's advanced Motion Technology that has the most accurate 'path following' on the market.
Motion control is the key to the robot's performance in the area of path accuracy, speed, cycle time, programmability, and synchronisation with external devices.
By improving these parameters, users improve quality, productivity and reliability.
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