|
|
Seventh Axis
Slide
Extends Reach of Robotic Arm
Customer’s
Problem
Robots
are ideal for repetitive assembly operations, such as drilling,
fastening, composite layup, welding, trimming, routing, painting and
coating. Unlike gantry systems and other large, heavy fixed
automation systems, robots can be quickly deployed and offer much more
flexibility. However,
robotic arms are typically mounted in
a fixed location, limiting their work envelope to the reach of the arm.
Robotic
arms are a popular choice due to the low cost and high flexibility, but
because of the large size of some aircraft assemblies, they usually
require additional axis to extend their reach.
ATLANTA’s Solution
To extend the reach of
the robotic arm, it was placed on a support carriage on a seventh axis
slide and rack & pinions were chosen to drive the axis. Precision
helical rack & pinions were selected to handle the high dynamic loads
and required accuracy.
By using rack & pinions
in their modular base design, unlimited travel lengths could be achieved
by mounting them end-to-end. To
lubricate the gearing and reduce contamination, a felt gear
was used to provide continuous lubrication. The felt gear meshed
directly with the pinion, ensuring a thin film of grease at the tooth
flanks.
In the end, a flexible,
robotic system with achieved with a work envelope large enough to handle
aircraft assemblies. Another advantage to seventh axis robotic
slides is that more than one robotic arm can be placed on the same slide
for additional productivity and flexibility.
|
ATLANTA
