Month: December 2024

FANUC’S NEW 500KG PAYLOAD ROBOT BRINGS INCREASED VERSATILITY TO HEAVY LIFTING TASKS

in Home

FANUC has introduced the latest model to its extensive robot range, bringing greater versatility to lifting and handling operations. A large and heavy-payload industrial robot, the new M-950iA/500 boasts a wide motion range thanks to its serial-link configuration, meaning no interference of the main J3 arm with the J2 arm due to the absence of a supporting mechanism. The rotation of the J3 axis is an impressive 395° and is supported by a payload of 500kg, a reach of 2,830mm and an ultra-strong 3-axis wrist with high torque and high inertia. The superior strength and versatility of the FANUC M-950iA/500 makes it particularly suited to the automotive industry, for applications such as handling large castings (eg engine blocks, EV batteries or car body panels), as well as friction stir welding, drilling and riveting.

Process flexibility comes courtesy of the robot’s J3 arm, which can stand above and rotate backwards of the robot itself. The J3 axis rotation of 395° is 75% greater than the 224° offered by the comparable M-900iB/360 parallel-link robot. A larger operating area therefore means the new robot can be operated in various layout configurations in line with specific customer requirements. In addition, FANUC’s iRVision fully-integrated visual detection system and various intelligent features make it easy to diversify between different product lines.

The three main axes (J1-J3) of the M-950iA/500 move at up to 100° per second thanks to FANUC’s AC servomotor drive system, making it a fast and strong option for heavy part lifting, heavy palletising/packaging and demanding material handling operations. Positioning accuracy is ±0.08 mm and a FANUC Accuracy and Stiffness Enhancement Option is also available for applications that require even higher precision or where external forces are likely to impact the robot.

In addition to the user-friendly FANUC iPendant as a teaching device, the
M-950iA/500 connects to the company’s R-30iB Plus controller with FANUC iHMI set-up guides for programming and large memory capacity.

PMMDA Welcomes Kelly Knight…

in PMMDA news


We are thrilled to introduce Kelly Knight, who is joining us here at PMMDA Trade Association to assist with office operations. With over 20 years of experience working with a variety of businesses, Kelly brings a wealth of knowledge in helping organisations continue to run smoothly and grow.

We hope our members will have the opportunity to meet Kelly soon, as she’ll be attending meetings and events when possible. A big warm welcome to Kelly – we’re excited to have you on board and look forward to working together!

Fanuc celebrates best of young robotics talent at WorldSkills UK Finals

in Home, PMMDA news

FANUC UK is celebrating the achievements of the country’s brightest young industrial robotics talent following the WorldSkills UK winners ceremony, held in in Manchester on Friday 22 November. Morgan Leyshon and Aled Gore, both 21 and from Bridgend College in Wales, were awarded Gold in the Industrial Robotics WorldSkills UK competition, which was held in conjunction with industry partner and factory automation specialists FANUC UK. The duo beat over 80 competitors in the gruelling eight-month long contest which culminated in the live finals held earlier this month at FANUC’s Open House event in Coventry. Morgan and Aled now have the chance to represent Team UK at the WorldSkills International Industrial Robotics competition in Shanghai, China in 2026.

In a challenge set by FANUC UK’s in-house automation engineering team, the finalists were tasked with completing the robot system integration of a cell to load and stack totes on a pallet ready for shipment. The totes had to be loaded with specific numbers of packages of different sizes, 16mm or 19mm thick. The project was divided into three stages – setting up the robot and cell, completing the basic task and, if time, attempting an extension task – and was notably more difficult than in previous years, following an increase in the number of applicants and a rise in overall ability.

“Year on year, the quality of the competitors has grown, and this year was no exception with some great teams making the final,” said Paul Coombes, competition organiser and Head of Technical for FANUC UK. “WorldSkills UK is a fantastic initiative, giving the next generation the opportunity to learn more about what a career in industrial robotics can offer. It’s highly rewarding to see the progression of those involved – this year’s marking team actually included some previous international-level competitors, which was great to see.”

Taking part in the WorldSkills UK competition brings a variety of benefits to young people. From increasing their knowledge and skill set, working with industry partners and tackling real-world problems, to increasing resilience and highlighting the importance of teamwork, all competitors leave with an experience that will boost their chances of future employment and enhance their CV.

Winners Aled and Morgan both study Mechanical Engineering at Bridgend College, in conjunction with Renishaw, and are hoping to pursue careers in the engineering sector once they graduate. When asked about the value of competing in the WorldSkills UK competition, Aled said: “FANUC is the number one company in the automation industry. Competing with their support enabled me to get a head start in learning about robotics and has boosted my CV.”

Morgan added: “I entered in the hope that the contest would help me to grow as a person, and hopefully provide me with opportunities to get into programming in the future.”

The winners’ ceremony at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall was attended by Skills Minister Jacqui Smith, leading employers, industry experts from across Europe, and representatives from the UK’s education and training sector. Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive, WorldSkills UK said: “Being named the best in your skill is a tremendous achievement and reflects the dedication of teachers in our colleges, universities and training providers, who are the bedrock of our skills systems across the UK. Working with our partners across industry and education, we are championing the emerging skills that are critical to drive investment and business growth in the UK.”

L-R: Aled Gore and Morgan Leyshon, winners of the 2024 WorldSkills UK Industrial Robotics competition, held in conjunction with industry partners FANUC UK

Fanuc celebrates 40 Years of Roboshot Injection Moulding Efficiency

in Home

FANUC is marking the 40th anniversary of its high-performance all-electric ROBOSHOT injection moulding machine with a celebration of its sustainability, reliability and low total cost of ownership (TCO) credentials. First developed in Japan in 1984, the FANUC ROBOSHOT is widely used by plastics manufacturers around the world to automate their injection moulding processes. It has evolved over the past four decades to meet the ever-changing needs of end-users, with today’s models boasting AI capabilities as standard. Super energy efficient, its advanced servo technology and intelligent energy recovery systems also mean the ROBOSHOT consumes up to 70% less energy than its hydraulic counterparts, and 5-10% less than other electric machines.

AI-enabled features showcased at FAKUMA

At the recent FAKUMA 2024 exhibition in Germany, FANUC showcased the versatility of the ROBOSHOT range with a series of live demonstration. These included:

  • A fully automated production cell processing sustainable biopolymers, longitudinally mounted on an additional linear axis to minimise footprint. Comprising a ROBOSHOT a-S150iB with a clamping force of 150 tonnes and an LR-10iA compact 6-axis robot, it highlighted how moulding shops can significantly increase their output.
  • A showcase of the AI functions of the latest A-iB series ROBOSHOT. The injection unit includes AI metering that uses torque (rather than speed) control to compensate for changes in material viscosity, such as drying conditions and variations in regrind. In addition, AI mould and ejector protection avoids mould damage and costly repairs/downtime should an event occur during the opening and closing cycle. It even indicates when greasing is necessary or if the mould is showing signs of wear. The same technology also protects the ejector’s forward and reverse movement.
  • The ROBOSHOT a-S100iB, presented together with the SEPRO Success 11 robot. Demonstrating the flexibility and versatility of FANUC’s injection moulding solutions, it enables precise and fast handling of plastic parts with seamless integration of third-party robots.

Industry-beating TCO

Long renowned for having the industry’s lowest TCO, all ROBOSHOT machines feature a power consumption screen as standard. This includes an energy analysis page to identify where energy consumption takes place during the cycle, to aid optimisation. Further features contributing to low TCO include high reliability and machine uptime, along with low wear, simple mechanisms with fewer components, and high spare part availability. All of this adds up to an average cost of just €555 a year (parts and service) to run a ROBOSHOT machine.

“It’s clear to see why the ROBOSHOT has remained so popular with injection moulding customers for four decades,” says Andy Armstrong, FANUC UK’s Vice Managing Director and Head of ROBOSHOT European Sales. “Superior precision and extremely short cycles mean it is capable of producing large quantities of consistently high-quality parts, with unbeatably low energy consumption. Its reliability and energy efficiency are enhanced with the latest AI technology, ensuring the ROBOSHOT can continue to help manufacturers produce the highest quality goods at the lowest total cost of ownership.”

Forty years since it was first developed, the latest ROBOSHOT consumes up to 70% less energy than its hydraulic counterparts, and 5-10% less than other electric machines.