Piab has added a larger version to its piCOBOT program as it continues to develop. It was designed with customers who use small industrial robots and cobots in mind, and its high payload in combination with a low building height allows for maximum capacity usage.
Piab’s new piCOBOT L is especially appealing for e-commerce, logistics, and warehouse applications as well as for helping to lift heavier items in production thanks to its lifting capacity of up to 35 lb. It uses the same technology as the first model and comes with a vacuum pump unit and a gripper unit that can be turned on or off.
The vacuum pump unit is expandable and can accommodate various numbers of the most recent, potent COAX cartridges. It allows for quick movement when lifting heavier items, for high productivity in packaging and palletizing, part assembly, or machine tending by providing a noticeably higher vacuum performance.
Due to its high vacuum flow, it is also easier to use big Kenos foam grippers to lift a variety of objects, from one large and heavy object to many small ones at once. The piCOBOT L is also a great platform for end effectors that have been specially designed, whether by Piab’s Custom Line experts, the client, or the system integrator themselves. When connecting a different gripper unit, you don’t need extra cables because the vacuum connection is at the bottom of the pump.
While the piCOBOT L permits manual gripper changes and the separation of the tool from the pump unit, the requirement to expedite tool changes when necessary calls for an automated process to ensure continuous operations and provide flexibility for deployment of one solution for numerous different tasks at the lowest possible cost. The most significant improvement is, therefore, its optional automatic tool changer with a docking station for additional end-effectors. The adapter plate of the end-effector can be locked or unlocked using a lever on the automatic tool changer. Without the need for human intervention, the docking station can automatically open and close the lever to remove one gripping unit from the cobot and pick up and connect a different one. An alternative is to operate the gripper switch at the tool changer by hand.
Easy access to any parts that might need cleaning was considered when the piCOBOT L was being developed. As a result, the vacuum stages can be cleaned as necessary, and the ejector cartridges can be removed in pieces. Dust protection filters are integrated to further increase machine uptime. Because the pump body meets IP65 standards, it can also work for a long time in harsh environments.
- It utilizes the most recent, powerful COAX vacuum cartridges, enabling high-speed applications.
- Due to its high payload of 35 lbs and short building height of just under 5 inches, it lifts more with less.
- Due to its rounded edges, it is secure for direct human-robot collaboration.
- High uptime even in harsh environments due to simple serviceability and a robust body that complies with IP65 standards.
