High speed intelligent handling robot for food and pharmaceutical products

Abstract

Fanuc developed a high speed intelligent handling robot for food and pharmaceutical products. This robot is equipped with a vision sensor and able to pick up accurately work-pieces placed on a conveyor one by one without stopping. The performance of the motor is not adequate to continuously operate the arm at high speed. That is the reason why we developed the idea of introducing a total of six motors for main axes (two for each of the three main axes) and reducing the load per motor through torque tandem control. Also the need to secure the cleanness of the robot itself is important because the robot handles food and pharmaceutical products. For this purpose a double-seal structure was applied to each joint to prevent the leakage of grease, which is used as a lubricant for transmission elements, to the outside as well as the penetration of other liquids from outside. Thus a transportation capacity of 120 pieces per minute was achieved.