In its PACK EXPO Connects demo, “miniPAL® A Collaborative Palletizing Solution,”
Columbia/Okura showcased the new safety and mobility features of its miniPAL® collaborative palletizing robot, which features the UR10e robot. To ensure operator safety, the miniPAL now has two area scanners and two safety mats that actively monitor the miniPAL cell. When the scanners are triggered, the robot slows down to collaborative speeds. During collaborative mode, the horn will beep. To resume speed, the area must be cleared, and the yellow button labeled “reset” must be pressed.
For mobility, all of the miniPAL’s connections now have quick disconnects at the back of the robotic enclosure. To move the miniPAL, users just disconnect all cables and unlatch the robot frame.
According to Columbia/Okura, the cobots are easy to program, using Pally software by Rocketfarm. “The software is designed to be smooth, flexible, and quick to install, with three easy steps,” the company says. “It also handles changes in production with ease and requires no downtime.”
Notes Columbia/Okura, the miniPAL offers five significant benefits:
· Efficient Set-Up: Takes less than a full day; plugs into 110V AC wall power
· Easy Operation: No previous programming experience required
· Quick Payback: Average payback is between 8 to 10 months, depending on application and industry
· Flexible Deployment: The mobile solution is easily moved and re-deployed to new processes
· No guarding required: A vast majority of cobot applications work next to humans without perimeter guarding requirements
To view demos from Columbia/Okura (available through March 31, 2021) and to add the company to your MyConnects Planner, click here.
