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WORLD OF INDUSTRIES 03/2019

WORLD OF INDUSTRIES 03/2019

01 In association with

01 In association with Siemens subsidiary Flender GmbH, Kuka has developed an alternative to its conventional hydraulic swivel drive based on Flender planetary gearmotors Replacing the swivel motor with a new drive concept MOTION AND DRIVES Flender GmbH, a Siemens Company and Kuka have been working together to develop a new kind of drive used for deburring castings. The new electromechanical alternative to the previous hydraulically powered swivel motor offers benefits of up to 30 % lower cycle times, improved dynamic response, lower component wear and reduced maintenance costs and times. Kuka, one of the world’s leading player in robotics and automation has been developing and constructing solutions that are driving forward the digital revolution taking place in the world of manufacturing. In the area of presses, Kuka along with Siemens subsidiary Flender, has developed a new drive based on a planetary gear motor as an alternative to the swivel motors. As Steffen Günther, Vice President casting solutions for the Kuka industries division explains: “One of the reasons why co-ordination of the entire drive train from the control through the three-phase asynchronous motor to the torque at the tilting table has been so successful is that Flender brought an enormous portfolio of over a million gear variants and decades of expertise in drive technology to the project table.” Optimum control response reduces cycle time Kuka has replaced the hydraulic swivel motor for the very first time in the sliding/tilting table press ‘SEP SKT’ by a unilaterally acting electromechanical main drive. “As far as I’m aware, with our innovative solution we are the world’s first manufacturer to use this type 22 WORLD OF INDUSTRIES 3/2019

02 The benefits of the new electromechanical solution include a 30 % reduction in cycle time, greater dynamic response and particularly low component wear of electromechanical swivel solution as standard in a sliding/tilting table press,” says Günther. This offers an array of benefits to customers, most notably a reduction in the swivel movement cycle time of around 30 %. The improved control response provided by the new technology also helps bring about other improvements to the overall efficiency of the production process. Servicing made easier by digital integration Digital integration of the drive into the control system ensures that the controller “knows” the position of the table at any given time. Digital monitoring and review of the components and documentation make for simplified servicing. The Flender drive is also impressive in terms of its robust design and wear resistance: despite the bottom tool weighing a full 6 tons, the torque and acceleration levels occurring during the tilting movement of the table around the rotary axis are effortlessly absorbed by the new gear technology – as evidenced by endurance testing under load. After testing, the Flender components demonstrated no signs of wear whatsoever. “The extraordinary robustness of the planetary gear motors and the improved setting and actuating capability of the drives means we can now increase the swivel weight by up to 30 %,” says a delighted Günther. The frequency converter decelerates the high inertia torque levels and at the same time feeds energy generated by this process back into the grid. Future-proof technology The new technology is designed to enable existing presses to be quickly retrofitted, either within just one or two days or on a stepby-step basis. And Günther is confident of a promising future for the new technology:“Because the benefits gained by changing to the new technology are not only impressive but sustainable too, we’ll be making use of the Flender SIP planetary gears wherever they bring about the same improvements as in our sliding/tilting table presses.” Photographs: Kuka Industries GmbH www.flender.com igus ® the-chain ... moving energy made easy ... Increase robot availability Reduce assembly costs •3-axis triflex ® energy supply system complete with highly flexible chainflex ® robot cables •3 chambers that can be opened independently for quick and easy cable fitting •Defined minimum bend radius & torsion stop dog for long service life of the cables & hoses •Sizes 65, 85,100 mm available from stock, also harnessed; no minimum order quantity •Optional: triflex ® RSE automatic retraction system •Can be configured and calculated online at: igus.eu/quickrobot Tel. +49 2203 9649-800 info@igus.eu plastics for longer life ® The terms "igus, triflex, chainflex, plastics for longer life" are legally protected trademarks in the Federal Republic of Germany and, where applicable, in some foreign countries. Please visit us: IAMD, Beijing – Hall 9 Stand 20 igus-englisch.indd 1 26.03.2019 14:40:38 WORLD OF OF INDUSTRIES 3/2019 23

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