Mobile Cobot Automatically Moves from Station to Station to Automatically Perform Tasks
Equipped with automatic tool-changing and multicoupling systems, Staubli’s HelMo moves itself from workstation to workstation, plugs itself in, and performs tasks without endangering its human coworkers.
Posted: April 19, 2021
An autonomous mobile robot (AMR) equipped with a 6-axis TX2 cobot arm with CS9 controller and variable assembly language (VAL) 3, the HelMo from Staubli Corp. (Duncan, SC) fetches tools from a magazine and loads and unloads machine tools without human intervention. Using data gathered by three laser scanners, the AMR automatically maps a safe path from one point to another and tells the cobot what task to perform via the unit’s on-board tool-changing system with four tools.
It positions itself to within a tenth of a millimeter by referencing three orientation points at the workstation and connects itself to electricity and compressed air supply via an on-board multicoupling system.
All safety functions comply with SIL3/PLe. The AMR automatically stops if a human coworker approaches.
Multiple AMRs can serve entire production lines by communicating with each other as well as with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
HelMo enables manufacturers to achieve smart production in Industry 4.0 environments with a significant gain in autonomy and flexibility.
