According to Gerald Vogt, Group Division Manager Robotics at Stäubli, HelMo embodies the next level of human-robot collaboration, in which robots mingle with humans and work together with them or perform monotonous tasks on their own. The system can drive completely autonomously and navigate within its production environment, constantly monitoring its surroundings via three integrated laser scanners. For mobile operation, it has a correspondingly large energy storage system. Stäubli uses a standard six-axis robot from the new TX2 series for the system with as few modifications as possible. The TX2 series is available in cleanroom and sterile versions, wet room and food versions and as a TX2touch version specifically for direct human-robot collaboration. The TX2touch 90L, for example, has a maximum payload of 15 kg and a reach of 1200 mm.

To meet the high safety requirements, the six-axis robot is equipped with a complex safety package. The most obvious feature is the so-called safety skin, a touch-sensitive surface that covers the robot like a skin and ensures that it stops moving immediately in the event of direct contact with a person. The machine is also equipped with the new CS9 robot controller and has safety features that can be configured specifically for each application using special functions. An integrated safety board monitors all of the robot's movements in real time. Each robot axis has its own digital safety encoder. All safety functions are certified and meet the requirements of safety category SIL3-/PLe.

When asked why Stäubli decided not to develop a special assistance robot, Gerald Vogt replies: "Pure assistance robots are subject to significant limitations in terms of payload, dynamics, reach and precision. However, we wanted to qualify our TX2 standard robots for direct cooperation with humans and at the same time maintain their full performance potential for non-MRK-related work. HelMo has a modular design: Equipped with an automatic tool changing system, it can increase the performance of a six-axis robot even further."

Stäubli has already extensively tested the application scenarios that will be possible with such a solution in the future in its own production facilities. HelMo is used here, for example, in the assembly of electrical connectors for coupling systems. If you look at the process as it was previously carried out purely manually by the worker, it quickly becomes clear why the workforce is happy to leave the job to the robot: Lots of contact pins have to be pressed precisely into the connector. It's always the same steps: pick up the pin, position it precisely and press it in. And this is done pin by pin, connector by connector, hour after hour. The monotony is one thing, the increase in the error rate as the work progresses is another.

... or, if necessary, cooperating with people.

© Stäubli

The use of HelMo has fundamentally changed this. Before the robot starts its shift, it must first prepare itself for its tasks. In practice, this looks like this: The robot positions itself accurately to a tenth of a millimeter by measuring itself using three measuring points permanently installed on the workstation. It then picks up an unassembled connector housing and places it precisely in a fixture. He then takes a plastic container with the pins from the shelf, moves to a FlexFeeder and empties the pins onto the belt on which they are separated. Now he picks up the pins one by one and fits them quickly and precisely into the connector. Once the assembly process is complete, it sets down the fully assembled connector housing and starts a new assembly process.

"HelMo works flawlessly even under such conditions. It relieves the workforce of unpleasant tasks and is therefore an extremely popular colleague. We actually see it less as a robot and more as an assistant that is flexibly on hand wherever it is needed," emphasizes project manager Gerhard Geyer. If today it is assembling connectors, tomorrow it could be loading parts into a laser marking system or any other task for which the mobile robot system is used. In principle, Stäubli also sees great application potential in the automation of machine tools. As the system can navigate autonomously in real production environments, it is also capable of operating several machining centers or linking them together.

Lightweight and compact tool changer

The new 'CombiTac 10Gbit module' (CAT6A) is available with either an RJ45 or M12 connection.

© Stäubli

In addition to the robots themselves, tool changing systems are one of Stäubli's core competencies. While the company has concentrated primarily on solutions in the high payload range up to 1530 kg, more compact systems are now also being launched at the Hannover Messe - specifically the MPS 130 and MPS 260 systems from Stäubli Connectors. The MPS 130 weighs only 1.8 kg on the robot side and just 1.1 kg on the tool side. At the same time, the system scores with a maximum load capacity of 100 kg and a bending moment of 900 Nm. Like the larger models, the lightweight and compact tool changers also meet the safety requirements of category 3 PLd. As Stäubli manufactures the complete changers in-house, the systems can also be equipped with user-specific modules for media, data and electrical energy transmission.

Last but not least, efficient implementation of production processes requires high-performance signal and data transmission. In this respect, Stäubli Electrical Connectors is presenting the new 'CombiTac 10 Gbit module' in Hanover, which can now be connected via an M12 threaded connection as an alternative to the RJ45 connection. For 10 Gbit Ethernet data transmission (CAT6A), x-coded M12 connectors with eight pins are specified, which are used both for high-speed data communication between machines and for real-time data transmission between systems.

The module is resistant to shocks and vibrations and is therefore suitable for use in harsh environmental conditions, for moving machines and robots as well as for applications that are exposed to vibrations. The module is designed for 100,000 mating cycles.