New entry-level industrial robot launched for automating machine tool tending

Automatic loading and unloading of machine tools is becoming increasingly necessary for manufacturers to be competitive in the global marketplace. To address this need, Dutch firm Halter CNC Automation has introduced a new, entry-level machine tending cell, the Halter Basic Pro. It is available in England, Wales, and Scotland through sole agent 1st Machine Tool Accessories, Salisbury.

The Basic Pro is a 6-axis industrial robot that offers a competitive, entry-level automation solution. Halter has succeeded in maintaining high technology and reliability by working closely with prestigious partners and suppliers. With the manufacturer’s user-friendly touch-screen SmartControl, even if a workpiece has not been handled before, the changeover time to start a new production process is only a few minutes. Furthermore, the operator needs no prior experience of robot programming, which is carried out while machining the previous parts is in progress to maximise production output.

Picture: 1st Machine Tool Accessories/Halter

As with all of the company’s systems, the plug-and-play Halter Basic Pro can be supplied with new machines, or retrofitted to existing plant regardless of machine age and type of control. Use of a floor-level, 270-degree laser scanner provides a safety zone. The robot slows if the operator approaches and stops immediately if the light curtain is breached.

An adjustable air pressure supply is provided for the double gripper, which can have either two or three fingers for holding raw material and finish-machined workpieces internally or externally. Workpieces from 10 to 135 mm diameter or square may be handled up to a maximum weight of 12 kg, including the gripper head. The grid plate holding the raw material and finished parts is adjustable in height to suit the installation and is able to hold up to 188 workpieces if the locations are sized up to 20 mm, the number dropping to 14 parts as the size reaches 135 mm.

Halter is a leading company in the field of high-quality robotic loading cells, with more than 1,000 installations worldwide feeding CNC lathes, machining centres, deep hole drilling machines, grinders and other machine tools, as well as coordinate measuring machines and indeed any inspection equipment. Nearly 95 percent of customers across 25 countries, including two dozen or so in the UK, report a return on investment within 18 months, with some saying it is as short as five months.