Intelligent retraction system avoids failures of industrial robots

The Estonian company Atemix Tööstusautomaatika OÜ specialises in the automation of factories, with a clear focus on Industry 4.0 solutions and robot applications. For a new project, the automated loading of a machining centre was to be solved with the help of a FANUC industrial robot. And although the interaction between machine tools and robotics is not unusual, this application presented a particular hurdle. The cable routing for supplying the robot head with power and data was solved using a long corrugated hose. As it could not be routed close to the robot, the hose regularly hung in the work area during the backward movements and blocked the work process - automation was out of the question.

To prevent the corrugated hose from wrapping around the robot or getting caught in the machine when moving in and out, the project managers looked for a new cable guide. The key to success here was the use of a retraction system that retracts the cable when the robot head is retracted and releases it again when it is extended. The triflex® RS retraction system, which is now fitted to the industrial robot, enables cables to be pulled in tightly without restricting the movement of the system. Strain on the cable during fast and complex 3D movements is eliminated. In addition, sensitive cable elements no longer fall into the working area and the previously high risk of failure and costly maintenance work are now a thing of the past.