High-speed robot and IML system.

A new high-speed servo robot designed for fast removal of parts from presses of up to 300 tons is new from Wittmann Inc., Torrington, Conn. The W721 UHS top-mounted robot handles payloads up to 6.6 lb with a vertical stroke of up to 1200 mm and extracts parts in 0.3 to 0.5 sec. The high speed results from driving the vertical axis directly through pinions linked to an indexing belt, which ensures direct transfer of forces to the moving axis while minimizing the mass of moving parts. The vertical arm is a stiff, light aluminum profile that absorbs the high acceleration and deceleration forces with an extremely stable torsion kick stroke that is internally reinforced.

Wittmann also developed an in-mold labeling system for cups in a four-cavity mold. The IML work cell has a W727H side-entry robot to deliver the label insert to the mold and remove parts in the same cycle, plus a W721 top-entry robot with a modified vertical arm for transfer of finished parts. The system was shown at last fall's Fakuma show in Germany producing cups with wraparound labels in four cavities on a 175-ton, all-electric Arburg Allrounder 520 A machine. Total shot weight was 45.2 g and cycle time was 5 sec. Tel: [phone] * www.wittmann-ct.com

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