Without the need for new hardware, Yaskawa offers a technical solution for recovering the robot’s braking energy into the mains power supply. The latest YRC1000 robot controllers and all larger Motoman robot series are capable of directly converting the kinetic energy of downward and lateral movements into 400 V AC at 50 Hz. These Motoman robot series have payloads of up to 50 kg.
Industrial robots move repeatedly, and each movement causes the servomotors to lose energy and perhaps produce electricity. This energy has previously been lost to the environment and transformed into waste heat by the control technology through electrical resistance. The basic controller of the YRC1000 robot, along with larger robots with payloads up to 50 kg, are required for this energy recovery.
Yaskawa’s technology recycles the electrical energy and feeds it back into the operator’s network without the need for any additional mechanisms. The job in question and the movement patterns of the particular robot determine the level of savings in each case in the most fundamental way. Savings in the order of 8% to 25% can be expected.
Yaskawa has used its experience as a drive technology manufacturer to create this unique technological solution. After all, all servo drives and control packages are in-house creations, which makes them well suited for industrial robots. Thanks to their slim, compact form, low moving masses and fast application of the brakes during movement intervals, Motoman robots have a higher efficiency potential. When not in use, the active position control is deactivated. Energy conservation is aided by intelligent operator control ideas, such as those that allow the robots to be automatically deactivated during predetermined pauses.
Energy efficiency as a strategic business goal. By 2025, the Yaskawa Group expects to reduce global CO2 emissions by 100 times. To create a sustainable, profitable and livable future, the Yaskawa Group bases its operations on the 17 UN sustainability goals and prioritises sustainable projects such as digitalisation of the value-added chain, automation of intensive and unpleasant tasks, and efficient food production in smart agriculture.
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