For small and mid-sized producers who’re exploring robotics, the choice on 3-axis or 6-axis motion usually comes all the way down to processing necessities and value. For easy pick-and-place necessities reminiscent of inserting and eradicating elements from a mildew, a 3-axis robotic could also be all you want. However a robotic is a long-term funding that ought to meet your necessities immediately and for years to come. The easy course of that you just’re contemplating automating now can simply turn out to be extra complicated over time. You might also discover that your preliminary foray into robotics evokes many new functions for automation, and people could require extra subtle motion. Happily, the choice doesn’t should be sophisticated if you will get the benefits of a versatile, long-life 6-axis robotic for the worth of a 3-axis robotic.
A 3-axis robotic follows a regular X-Y-Z definition of three-dimensional area. These robots can attain ahead and again, back and forth, and up and down. In distinction, a 6-axis robotic has an articulated arm that permits for motion that’s extra much like that of a human arm. It could actually rotate, bend, and transfer in an arc. That maneuverability means these 6-axis robots can grip objects at totally different angles and may rotate or tilt elements, making them supreme for extra subtle pick-and-place functions. It usually additionally makes them dearer. However each robotic arm from Common Robots affords the fee benefits of a 3-axis robotic with the pliability and maneuverability of a 6-axis robotic.
For UR buyer Oticon, the world’s second-largest listening to assist producer, that was important. As listening to assist parts turned more and more smaller, Oticon’s older 2- and 3-axis robots have been now not as much as the duty. As an example, if a small half acquired caught within the mildew, the robotic arm couldn’t carry out the required lateral and vertical actions to tip it out. Oticon put in new, 6-axis UR robotic arms, which may simply rotate or tilt elements to raise them shortly out of the mildew. The robotic’s versatile deployment was additionally necessary. Arne Oddershede, group chief of the upkeep unit at Oticon, explains, “Since we produce totally different batch sizes and parts when growing new merchandise, it should be doable to simply reprogram the robotic. With a conventional robotic, this includes a pc and requires specially-trained workers. However with the UR5, any member of the technical workers can actually seize the robotic and present it the movement sequence utilizing waypoints.”
