Collaborative technology for more production power
The ASRS assists most cobots and other robotic applications by providing a continuous arsenal of machinable parts over a much longer time frame. It does this by consistently loading and unloading dunnage trays onto the robot accessible work area, eliminating the need to manually replace each one. The resulting boost in cobot production is 10- to 20-times that of standard means.
The ASRS from Applied Cobotics features a vertical lead screw-driven shelf, and a horizontal tray loader/unloader. In addition, tray rack towers engineered for the ASRS offer open-spaced shelving that accommodate various part sizes up to 18-inches in height. The rack towers are also capable of holding up to 17 trays. Customized dunnage parts trays can be acquired either through our 3D printing and thermoforming capabilities. For DIY customers, purchase one of our 3D Platform or BCN3D printers and create your own custom trays!
The ASRS works by assisting a robot in longer parts runs. Without the ASRS, a robot will stop running as soon as it finishes that one tray of parts. With the ASRS in place, the robot system is capable of unmanned, continuous production. As the cobot finishes each set of parts on the tray, the tray loader slides the finished parts tray to its predetermined position, and then pulls the next one onto the shelf. Once the tray is pulled into position, the cobot is alerted and automatically resumes its project tasks. Depending on the parts, a project can operate unaided overnight, making each one a potential lights-out automation run. Built-in motor encoders provide highly accurate motion, maintaining the tight tolerances that cobots require.
All together, these features provide reliable and safe load-handling for any part type or size. The ASRS can easily be implemented to automate most CNC lathes, Mills, and many other types of robotic-aided manufacturing for long-running, unattended operation.
