The new models of robotic equipment are increasingly easy to operate and come with more flexible and efficient designs, creating a need for them in the manufacturing lines of different industrial sectors.
A survey conducted by World Robot Statistics in 2015, published by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), estimates that by 2018, approximately 1.3 million industrial robots will operate in factories worldwide.
The factors to be taken into account by the industry for processes such as manufacturing, pick and place, logistics, assembly and packaging, among others, is the speed and precision of the robots, since they are the reasons why the demand for robots has increased, seeing how they provide agility and accuracy.
The electronics industry is in need of these types of factors, since its processes require the assembly of highly-complex pieces with a high level of detail, where it is necessary to resort to automation. The solution proposed by robotics technology are the SCARA-type robots, which refers to “Selective Compliant Assembly (Articulated) Robot Arm” (the first SCARA robot was created as a revolutionary prototype in 1978 in the laboratory of Professor Hiroshi Makino, at the Yamanashi University in Japan). This robotic series has 4 axes and offers a lightweight arm to maneuver small parts at a high speed with great precision, while its compact size saves space and is easy to integrate, in addition to being cost-effective and achieving greater productivity.
Among the big leading brands in SCARA industrial robots, we can find Fanuc (FANUC SR-3iA, FANUC SR-6Ia), ABB (IRB 910SC), Yaskawa (MYS450F, MYS650LF, MYS850L), Staubli (TS2-40, TS2-60, TS2-80, TS2-100) Kawasaki (duAro) and Epson (G-Series, RS-Series, LS-Series).
We can also find SCARA robots in cleanrooms, designed for work where the level of particle contamination is controlled, which can potentially degrade the products that are manufactured in dusty, corrosive and underwater environments. The demand for the cleanroom versions has increased in the semiconductor, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical industries, as they are recognized for their high speed, repeatability and efficiency; their compact, coated design is suitable for each different environment, classifying each room with ISO 1 (strictest) to ISO 9 (ambient air) standards, according to the criteria of ISO 14644-1.
Some of the benefits of SCARA robots include:
- High inertial capacity that maximizes flexibility.
- Minimum space that allows for an easy design and installation.
- Ultra-compact footprint and slim profile minimizes interference with peripheral devices.
- Lightweight design allows for easy integration of the system and continuous, fast operation.
As a result, greater productivity may be achieved as the result of opening markets that were previously limited by the risks they could run into by using robots and human labor in the same space. This robot proposal optimizes operation and eliminates bottlenecks, accelerates cycles and provides greater security by enabling teamwork, thus reducing costs and increasing the production’s effectiveness.