As more industries are moving into Industry 4.0, they are looking for new innovative ways to improve their production through the use of robotics. However, for industries which already possess robotic equipment, there are a few solutions available to further improve their efficiency. One of these solutions is through the use of robotic cells.
Robotic Cells
Also known as a work cell, a robotic cell is defined as a closed workspace where one or more robots are installed. The purpose of these cells is to increase the efficiency of the robot while still maintaining a safe work environment for nearby employees. This is accomplished by ensuring no employee can interact physically with the robot unless the system is shut down, to which the doors of the cell would unlock. When a robot is confirmed to present no hazards to nearby human workers, speed restrictions can be lifted to allow the robot to work faster and provide high productivity.
There are a range of robotic cells which are available to any industry. Cells can be integrated alongside individual or multiple robots in a production atmosphere. This could be as simple as ordinary barriers around an entire robotic collection, or specialized cells with controls and programming capabilities. Each industry or production floor will have certain constraints for acceptable robotic cells; this is dependent on the size, weight, or type of robots used. Therefore, it is important to select one capable of supporting the robotic equipment you plan to use with it.
DIY Robotic Cells & Their Benefits
At DIY Robotics, robotic cells are our specialty. We offer a range of robotic cells each with its own benefits and types of robots it can house (based on weight and size), as specified on our product page. Our cells can be categorized into two groups, collaborative and modular cells.
Collaborative cells are designed to work with or close to human workers. These cells have speed limitations to ensure the robot does not harm an employee and are great at performing various tasks. Collaborative robots are an excellent addition to small and medium industries looking for an adaptable robot. Our modular cells provide a closed workspace and are well suited for working with other machines or robots. All of our cells each have the benefits stated above, along with a few unique ones:
Customizable
Each of our cells has the potential to be completely customizable to match your workspace layout. This includes offering customizable panels (the walls of the cell) which are specifically tailored to integrate with your surrounding production equipment, as well as the capability to house your own robotic arms. Each of our cells can come equipped with a FANUC robot, or you can use your own.
Mobile
Our cells are designed to be mobile around a workspace. This means that a robot can easily be relocated to any station in the case where a production floor’s layout was to change, or if a problem were to occur with the robot. Traditional robotic equipment is usually bolted to the floor and can result in lengthy installation/removal of the equipment. Our robotic cells will not have that problem. This is accomplished by the industrial-grade locking wheels that are installed onto the robotic cell.
Durable
Our cells are constructed with welded and folded sheet metal to ensure a strong frame for any robot. Our cells make no compromise on the robot’s acceleration and speed due to the strong materials the cell is made of. Due to the strong frame and industrial locking wheels, vibrations or jolts from the robot are not a concern for our cells. All materials the cell is composed of are also scratch and rust-resistant.
Conclusion
Robotic cells bring many benefits to any work environment. Collaborative cells create a safe workspace for humans to interact closely with the robots without harm. Modular robotic cells remove any hazards to which a human worker would be subject to due to the closed workspace, and allows the robot to work faster which will increase efficiency. DIY robotics has a wide range of robotic cells available, each with its own benefits and specifications on the robots it can be integrated alongside. Please feel free to visit our product page to begin customizing your robotic cell for your workspace: https://diy-robotics.com/products/. If you have any other inquiries, please feel free to contact us and we will put you in touch with an expert: https://diy-robotics.com/contact/
References
- Robotic Cell Finder: Products: DIY-Robotics. DIY Robotics. (2022, May 12). Retrieved June 12, 2022, from https://diy-robotics.com/products/