MID-SIZE ROBOT FOR HIGH-OUTPUT, SMALL FOOTPRINT ARC WELDING

With cables and hoses protected in the upper arm, this mid-size robot shortens welding cycle times by 15 percent, with lower operational costs and simplified programming.

ABB Robotics (Auburn Hills, MI), a leading supplier of industrial robots, has added an Integrated Dress pack (ID) model to its IRB 2600 range of mid-sized robots, introducing the 2m reach, 8 kg payload IRB 2600ID. The new ID model, especially designed for arc welding, features a flexible conduit in its upper arm/wrist for routing the cables and hoses, fully integrating the process equipment with the robot.

The integrated design provides a number of benefits, including 15 percent shorter cycle times, lower operational costs and easier programming, along with the standard IRB 2600 family performance benefits such as superior speed, flexible mounting options, an increased work envelope and unmatched path repeatability. ABB is one of the few robot suppliers that offer a mid-size robot in both standard and ID models.

With the internally routed dress pack, the movement of the hoses and cables is completely predictable, allowing the IRB 2600ID to operate at maximum speeds and simplifying off-line programming. Without needing to account for swinging cables when simulating robot systems, the time required for fine-tuning programs is minimized by up to 90 percent, enabling faster transitions from weld to weld. The ID design also reduces the exposure of cables and hoses to weld splatter and other sources of overall wear, reducing replacement costs by 75 percent and saving up to three production stops per year. With completely predictable motion, the IRB 2600ID is able to work in narrow spaces and around parts of a complex geometry on which the dressing could otherwise catch.

“The current trend in industrial robotic design is for process equipment to be fully integrated with the robot,” said Joe Campbell, vice president of the ABB Robot Products Group in the U.S. “This first IRB 2600ID model responds to the need our arc welding end-users have for a low maintenance, high performance robot that is easy to program and is incredibly nimble.”

With its compact design, and without loose hoses and cables, the IRB 2600ID has a very small footprint with a swing base radius of only 337 mm and a base width of only 511 mm. For arc welding, the reduced risk of interference with other robots allows for productive, high-density installations with 50 percent more robots, and up to 50 percent higher output from a production cell. With the slimmer arm and smaller footprint, the IRB 2600ID can enter very narrow spaces and easily take on challenges such as circular welds without compromising on quality or speed.

Complete weld packages tailored for the IRB 2600ID are available from several major arc welding process equipment suppliers. The new robot is available with ABB’s well proven IRC5 Robot Controller and is fully supported by the ABB Robotics global sales and service organization in 53 countries. The IRB 2600 robot family, first introduced in Q4 2010, is the latest of ABB’s medium capacity range of multipurpose robots.

www.abb.com