Yaskawa announces a new “Smart Series” product line that combines current Yaskawa collaborative robots together with preconfigured gripper solutions of different manufacturers. The solution enables genuine plug & play functionality for most robot applications.

By testing and validating all of the piece parts, the new Smart Series delivers a modular plug & play concept for collaborative robots and tools. For new collaborative robot buyers, the Smart Series reducing the research process to determine the best gripper and flange for your application. The ready-made packages include all of the necessary accessories such as mechanical adapter flange mounting parts, electric communication cables and example jobs for fast start-up guaranteed to be mutually compatible for plug & play installation. Yaskawa has simplified the selection process and reduced the time to value for automation buyers.

Currently, the Smart Series incorporates the vacuum grippers and gripper modules of technology partners OnRobot and Weiss Robotics. Other manufacturers are to follow shortly, e.g. Schmalz and Zimmer.

“With the Smart Series, users will not only find the solution best suited to their requirements; they also have a guarantee of reliable functioning and simple implementation, programming and operation,” says Yaskawa Product Manager Tasmin Schales. “We are helping, in particular, smaller businesses without in-depth robot expertise to get started with automation concepts for greater productivity.”

A simple and understandable web page with online configurator points the way to a perfect Smart Series solution for the respective application. This provides a step-by-step guide through the selection process, identifies the ideal robot model and links to the landing page of the Smart Series partners whose product packages are incorporated into the Yaskawa Smart Series. A broad selection of models and components ensures the optimum solution for every handling task in the robot payload range up to 20 kg (incl. tools).

Yaskawa Smart Series robot models for every application

A total of eight current Motoman robot models from the Yaskawa portfolio were selected for the Smart Series: four collaborative hybrid robots of the Motoman HC series (payloads of 10 and 20kg), three models of the GP industrial robot series (payloads of 7 to 12 kg) and the MotoMini, the smallest Motoman model. All Smart Series robots are available with the YRC1000micro compact controller and the Smart Pendant. This innovative, easy-to-use hand-held terminal greatly simplifies a company’s introduction to robotics.

The collaborative robot models HC10 and HC20 are HRC-capable hybrid robots for payloads of up to 10 or 20 kg respectively. They are full-featured industrial robots that can operate at high speeds, but will reduce to a safe speed as soon as a human being approaches the immediate workspace. Six integrated torque sensors guarantee the required safety in direct contact with the operator. As far as German and European safety standards are concerned, Motoman HC models can be employed as robots with power and force limitation in accordance with technical specification ISO TS 15066. In addition to the safety aspects, the main design focus of these robots was on simple operation. It is thus possible to guide the robot arm directly by hand and program it with the aid of direct-teach buttons on the wrist. Further special safety functions such as the FSU (functional safety unit), simply pushing the robot aside or automatic withdrawal from tight situations attest to the experience of a leading robot manufacturer that has already brought over 500,000 robots into use worldwide.

Industrial robots of the Motoman GP series are not only the fastest in their class; they are also extremely accurate and ensure a high level of repeatability. GP stands for “general purpose” and thus for versatile applications. By virtue of their IP67 protection class, these 6-axis robots can also be deployed in harsh environments for handling and other automation tasks. Their slim design enables the manipulator to reach deep into the workspace, and smooth surfaces facilitate the cleaning of GP robots.

The MotoMini is the smallest genuine 6-axis industrial robot on the market, with a range of 350 mm and a maximum payload of 0.5 kg. As a lightweight high-speed robot, the MotoMini combines extremely fast cycle times with a high repeatability of 0.02 mm. This makes the MotoMini ideal for handling small workpieces and components, as well as for assembly work in small production machines. Due to its compact design, it can be used where space is at a premium.