Robots & automation: Denso claiming speed record, other breakthroughs

Although they won't see commercial introduction until this November and are scheduled for their first tradeshow appearance next month, a new range of 6-axis robots already is being hailed by this manufacturer as the fastest and slimmest of their class.

Called the VS series, these robots get their tradeshow introduction in June at the Automatica expo in Munich, German. According to Denso Wave Inc. (Tokyo, Japan), these 6-axis robots will be the world's fastest and have the slimmest arms in their class of small industrial robots. According to the manufacturer, one of these robots with a 875-mm arm length has a 10 m/sec composite speed, and requires just 0.33 second to lift a part 25 mm high, move it 300 mm, and return it to the starting point. Maximum arm width is 235 mm.

They also are the first with all of their linking wires embedded inside and to the end of the robot's arm, claims Denso.

Four different VS Series models will be released, with arm lengths ranging from 500-875 mm and payload capacities from 4-7 kg. A variety of model options are available including dust- and waterproof models, which could see use in tooling shops, and cleanroom models for the electronics and medical industries. The new robots are compliant with global (UL, CE and RoHS) safety standards.

The VS series robots will be sold through Denso Corp.'s sales offices. —mpweditorial@cancom.com