Run MyRobot/Direct Control now Offered with Comau

Siemens has entered into a cooperative agreement with the Italian robot manufacturer Comau and together they now offer the jointly engineered product Sinumerik Run MyRobot /DirectControl. This development enables the robot kinematics to be fully integrated into a CNC system. As a result, the Sinumerik CNC controls the articulated robot arm directly with the basis of complex algorithms without the need for a separate robot controller, as the operations are entirely controlled on a second channel of the CNC.

The Sinumerik Run MyRobot /DirectControl solution allows the CNC to control both the robot arm drive system and contains safety functions typically performed by the robot controller. In addition, the robot is programmed entirely on the Sinumerik CNC operator panel.

Integrating control of the robot arm into the CNC helps improve path and positioning accuracy as well as reliability. It also yields enhanced dynamic response during robot-aided machining tasks. As a result, the robot is able to undertake more challenging machining assignments and users enjoy the advantages of compact hardware, simple engineering, and quick commissioning. Among the myriad industrial sectors benefiting from the use of Sinumerik Run MyRobot /DirectControl are additive manufacturing, fiber placement, metal-cutting, carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, and laser machining.

The major difference between the new DirectControl technology and conventional solutions is that DirectControl performs all the functions previously assigned to the robot control system. This makes the separate robot controller unnecessary. In addition, Sinumerik Run MyRobot /DirectControl performs all the same functions as the previous Run MyRobot variants. The new solution not only enables more dynamic application of the robot, but also provides more accurate control and improves capacity for robot operations to run simultaneously with machining time.

To simplify the engineering process, complete configuration for all DirectControl-supported robot arms is stored in the Siemens engineering tool Sizer. The same high level of convenience is offered with robot commissioning.  Data sets for the relevant mechanics are made available by the robot manufacturer Comau and simply imported on a channel of the Sinumerik CNC.

There is also practical support for other engineering functions. Digital twins are available for DirectControl-compatible Comau robot arms to enable work in Siemens NX CAM Robotics. The kinematic 3D robot model and the virtual NC kernel Sinumerik VNCK enable sub-programs generated in the CAD-CAM chain to be completely simulated offline. Additional benefits to this enhancement are the reduced footprint due to the elimination of hardware components, lower overall investment, reduced stocking costs for spare parts, and greater availability due to improved MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures).

Siemens Digital Factory (DF) offers a comprehensive portfolio of seamlessly integrated hardware, software and technology-based services in order to support manufacturing companies worldwide in enhancing the flexibility and efficiency of their manufacturing processes and reducing the time to market of their products. 

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About Siemens USA 

Siemens Corporation is a U.S. subsidiary of Siemens AG, a global powerhouse focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is a leading supplier of systems for power generation and transmission as well as medical diagnosis. With approximately 379,000 employees in 190 countries, Siemens reported worldwide revenue of $94.0 billion in fiscal 2018. Siemens in the USA reported revenue of $23.7 billion, including $5.0 billion in exports, and employs approximately 50,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

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