July 24, 2011 – ABB Robotics introduced standardized packages of motor and gear units to allow integrators to easily and economically create custom external axis systems. The motor and gear units are now available in comprehensive packages complete with cablings, serial measurement board (SMB) box, optimization software and safety options. The packages will optimize performance and cost-efficiency, and simplify the design, integration and operation of additional robot axes such as workpiece positioners, robot carriers, track motions, servo guns and indexing conveyors. The motor units now come in four sizes, including a new extra-large motor (MU400) ideal for high-power applications such as turntables.
The gear units are being offered in the same seven versions that are currently built into ABB’s high-quality positioners, including both MTD (for positioning) and MID (for interchange) units. These standard motor and gear units are designed to work perfectly with other ABB equipment and are easily available as spare parts. The packages also include flexible cables to simplify integration and prolong life expectancy. In addition, ABB is offering serial measurement boards, push buttons for brake release and axis selectors for greater safety and control. To ensure that integrators building customized positioners can tune both motor and gear unit parameters to achieve improved motion performance in less time, ABB is also introducing TuneMaster, a new RobotWare software tool.
As an additional feature the ABB Remote Service option can monitor error messages from the motor and gear units to guarantee the best possible uptime of ABB robots systems, and provide immediate response in case of any unplanned stoppages.
“The packages are completely pre-engineered, providing the means for our integrators to easily spec and build external axis systems with ABB motors, gears and cables, and to simplify their integration with our robots and controllers,” said Joe Campbell, vice president of the ABB Robot Products Group in the US. “They are delivered with predefined CAD models and configuration files, providing a huge benefit to all phases of a project.”
About ABB
ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 124,000 people.
About ABB Robotics
ABB Robotics is a leading supplier of industrial robots - also providing robot software, peripheral equipment, modular manufacturing cells and service for tasks such as welding, handling, assembly, painting and finishing, picking, packing, palletizing and machine tending. Key markets include automotive, plastics, metal fabrication, foundry, electronics, machine tools, pharmaceutical and food and beverage industries. A strong solutions focus helps manufacturers improve productivity, product quality and worker safety. ABB has installed more than 190,000 robots worldwide.