The global site of the UK's leading magazine for automation, motion engineering and power transmission
28 March, 2024

LinkedIn
Twitter
Twitter link

Robot collaboration delivers energy savings of up to 30%

13 June, 2012

Bosch Rexroth has collaborated with the painting systems supplier Dürr Systems to create a new generation of painting and sealing robots that use up to 30% less energy than earlier systems. This has been achieved by using compact servo controllers and new pneumatic controllers for the painting processes, as well as switching to the Ethernet-based sercos automation bus.

“In extensive mechatronic simulations, we have attuned components of electric drive technology and pneumatics that are optimised in terms of efficiency precisely to this application,” explains Dr Steffen Haack, senior vice-president for sales in Bosch Rexroth’s factory automation business. “Practical experiences from several paint factories have confirmed the increase in energy efficiency.”

Motion and process communications in the new robots are handled by sercos, thus reducing the number of communication systems from three to one. The compact servo controllers reduce power losses and, combined with sercos, allow the use of smaller control cabinets. Air-conditioning is no longer needed because of the controllers’ low cooling requirements. The temperature is controlled using an efficient fan drive. “The ones to benefit are our customers, because now they can save up to 30% in energy,” says Dürr Systems managing director, Dr Hans Schumacher.

Dürr and Rexroth plan to continue their partnership to develop further electric and pneumatic drive systems for efficient robots. In February, they signed a three-year framework agreement.




Magazine
  • To view a digital copy of the latest issue of Drives & Controls, click here.

    To visit the digital library of past issues, click here

    To subscribe to the magazine, click here

     

Poll

"Do you think that robots create or destroy jobs?"

Newsletter
Newsletter

Events

Most Read Articles