Robot Series Facilitates Collaborative Welding

Designed to add robotic welding capacity to current production, the Yaskawa America Inc., six-axis HC10 and HC20 human-collaborative robots enable operation with, or in close proximity to, human workers. Suited for supplementing manual welding or for rolling up to large, heavy workpieces with its 1,379 mm reach, the 10 kg payload HC10 can be adjusted depending on production needs. The HC20 model offers even greater reach at 1,900 mm and an increased payload of 20 kg.

Yaksawa says the highly repeatable HC10 or HC20 can easily shift between collaborative speed in PFL mode or full speed in industrial mode, optimizing cycle times based on risk assessment and process requirements. Robot path teaching can be accomplished by hand guiding, teach pendant or jogging with an external device using I/O control. Built with cast aluminum for industrial durability, the HC10 and HC20 feature a rugged IP67 rating to operate in harsh welding environments. To top it off, the robots have an easy to clean surface.

Photo credits: Yaksawa America Inc.

The HC-series robots meet established safety standards, including being TUV-certified to ISO 13849-1 and complying with ISO 10218-1 and ISO TS 15066. They feature Power and Force Limiting (PFL) where dual channel torque sensors in all joints constantly monitor force to quickly react. These robots also offer precision hand-guiding. The goal of this feature is to facilitate easy programming for fast implementation of a robot system.

Designed with the safety in mind, the pinch-less HC10 and HC20 has the potential to operate without additional protective measures, resulting in reduced cost and space requirements. However, this claim is risk assessment dependent and may vary from company to company. Through-arm utilities hide cabling, including a Category 6 ethernet cable enabling communications for a wide variety of tooling options. This reduces the risk of snagging or interference with other equipment.