Small robot copes with delicate tasks

Carclo Technical Plastics has achieved production validation for the delicate assembly of a new diagnostic life-sciences product. Said to be an impossible task to perform manually, a six axis FANUC Robotics robot is used to assemble, and in-process check, each component.

Carclo Technical Plastics injection moulds the main body of a multi-compartment cuvette and, adding value for its customer, performs an assembly task before delivery.

Engineered by Hi-Tech Automation, a delta configuration robot (FANUC Robotics M-1ia) handles a weight of less than 5gm and has 1kg payload.

Alan Hogan, manufacturing engineer, says: "The FANUC Robotics M-1ia robot does more than just place the filter into the moulding; we use the full flexibility of its six axes to manoeuvre the part into place." Control of the entire cell is through FANUC Robotics' intelligent R-30iA controller with integrated functions including iRVision.