Or
Dutch firm Halter CNC Automation has introduced an entry-level machine tending cell for loading and unloading. Availability in Great Britain is through sole agent 1st Machine Tool Accessories. Comprising a six-axis industrial robot, the Basic Pro offers a price-competitive automation solution. With the manufacturer’s user-friendly touchscreen SmartControl, the changeover time to start a new production process is only a few minutes. Furthermore, the operator needs no prior experience of robot programming, which takes place while machining of the previous parts is in progress. The plug-and-play Halter Basic Pro can be supplied with new machines or retrofitted to existing plant regardless of machine age and control type. Use of a floor-level, 270° laser scanner provides a safety zone. The robot slows if the operator approaches and stops immediately upon breaching the light curtain. An adjustable air pressure supply is provided for the double gripper, which can have either two or three fingers for holding raw material and finish-machined workpieces internally or externally. It is possible to handle workpieces from 10 to 135 mm diameter or square up to a maximum weight of 12 kg, including the gripper head. The grid plate holding the raw material and finished parts is adjustable in height to suit the installation and can hold up to 188 workpieces if the locations are sized up to 20 mm, the number dropping to 14 parts as the size reaches 135 mm. Halter has more than 1000 installations worldwide feeding CNC lathes, machining centres, deep-hole drilling machines, grinders and other machine tools, as well as CMMs. Nearly 95% of customers across 25 countries, including two dozen or so in the UK, report a return on investment within 5 to 18 months. More information www.1mta.com