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Use a robot to place a part into a cnc router.

1425 Views 10 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  TimPa
Hello,
I have a project that i hope you guys could help me with.
Am new into this som i ask her for some help.
Here is my idea.
I have a 6 axis robot that take out a plastic part from a injection machine. On this plastic product its a spru that i must milling away.
The idea is that the robot place the plastic product into the milling router and start a easy program that milling the spru.
So, is it possible to start the milling machine with the robot, i have some 1/0 that i could use from the robot(digital output) and which milling rout do you guys recommend for this project.
Hope someone could help me here:)
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Welcome to the forum.
Welcome to the forum @tigermann

You might get a better result if you post this question in the CNC section, of the forum.
You might get a better result if you post this question in the CNC section, of the forum.
I moved it, James. Thanks for pointing that out; I saw this earlier but missed what forum it was in.
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Thanks David....
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your "pick and place" robot can certainly be used for that, and yes, you will need to incorporate a digital output from it to initiate a "go" signal in your cam software. so your cnc will need to have an available digital input to connect to (opto-isolator likely needed), and a software (macro) to observe the input and call the go sequence.
to be on the safe side, it would be beneficial to have a sensor(s) of some type to ensure that the part is properly oriented and secured, prior to starting the cnc. what cnc, and cam software are you running?

keep us updated....
Sounds like all you might need for the router is a single axis and it would be fairly cheap and easy to make one. You could use one of the many control cards for a 3 axis machine but just hook up one axis for your purpose. You would need to size the stepper motor, driver, spindle, and bit depending on the size of the sprue you are trimming. You would need to add at least one relay to start the router. The router would essentially be set on pause and then a signal sent to resume the program. The toolpath would send a signal to the arm then end with a pause. After cutting the sprue and pausing the robotic arm would remove the part and reset to grab the next part. You might find that limit switches could be used to trigger some of the relay action.
Welcome
If you have the room just buy a bandsaw and have the robot run the spru into the bandsaw blade. Asking a robot to place a part on a CNC machine and then engage hold downs and start a CNC router is going to be a nightmare. Changing the programming on the robot to take the piece through the bandsaw is a lot less than trying to sync 2 machines and add the additional switches and programming to activate hold downs and restart a CNC router is a nightmare.
Asking a robot to place a part on a CNC machine and then engage hold downs and start a CNC router is going to be a nightmare. Changing the programming on the robot to take the piece through the bandsaw is a lot less than trying to sync 2 machines and add the additional switches and programming to activate hold downs and restart a CNC router is a nightmare.
i'm an industrial electronics instructor, and i taught this very thing - the hardware and software. one chapter test was for the students to write and program the pick and place and have it work cleanly. very doable, but like you say - intimidating if you aren't knowledgeable in the area.
i'm an industrial electronics instructor, and i taught this very thing - the hardware and software. one chapter test was for the students to write and program the pick and place and have it work cleanly. very doable, but like you say - intimidating if you aren't knowledgeable in the area.
HI TimPa
I'd like to learn more about pick and place machines/programming any reading lists you'd suggest
thanks
Doc
since the pick and place have to play nicely with the application/machine it is serving, they often use the same or similar controller - although there are many "universal' types available. the units i had in my classroom, were built to play with large hydraulic "powdered metal" presses, and secondary machines - places where human fingers are obviously in danger. but they also serve to increase speed and accuracy. they had circular controllers. (e.g. discrete output 3 "on' from 25 degrees to 40 degrees), because the press it was serving had a circular controller.

because of this tie-in, pick and place types vary greatly, but are fascinating. some use pneumatic cylinders, some hydraulic cylinders, or motors to move the parts. if you search the internet, you will see what i mean. i don't have a reference manual to provide - sorry. please pm me if you want to discuss more...
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