FANUC Presents Cobot for Painting Automation

FANUC America highlights the CRX-10iA/L Paint collaborative robot (cobot). As an explosion-proof collaborative paint robot, the CRX-10iA/L Paint cobot is designed to be used by companies in the painting, powder and/or gel coating with fiberglass reinforcement industries. The cobot is suited for all types of paint operations including high-mix, low-volume applications. It is also designed to comply with the explosion-proof safety standards required in the U.S.

FANUC CRX cobots can help to automate manufacturing more applications including pick and place, palletizing, machine tending and welding, for companies of all sizes and automation experiences. According to the company, the CRX-10iA/L Paint cobot enables operations with no robotics experience to effectively deploy cobots to automate their painting and coating processes by using “easy-teach” features, including drag-and-drop programming and “lead through teach.” The benefits of automating are said to include better quality and more consistent finishes as well as cost and waste savings by accurately painting.

“FANUC paint robots have been designed and manufactured continuously in Michigan since 1982. Now with the new CRX-10iA/L Paint cobot, more operations will be able to reap the benefits of paint and coating automation,” says Ed Minch, sales director for auto component & general industry paint at FANUC America. “We know our customers are struggling to increase their production and efficiency to keep up with rising demand while staying profitable. This is the first collaborative paint robot available for sale and use in North and South America.”

Cobots offer flexible automation with a small footprint and force-sensing technology that enable them to work safely around people. In addition to the standard safety certifications included with the CRX line of cobots, the CRX-10iA/L Paint is designed to be compliant to global explosion-proof safety certifications, including IECEx, ATEX, Canada, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan and Brazil.

The CRX-10iA/L Paint cobot has a payload of 10 kg as well as what FANUC contends is the longest reach in its class at 1,418 mm, enabling the cobot to access large workpieces in places that can pose challenges for humans to manually reach. Featuring the same smooth and rounded design of the CRX series, the CRX-10iA/L Paint cobot is lightweight at 45 kg and has a small footprint, which can be enhanced by stacking the control unit onto a light and compact R-30iB Mini Plus controller. Along with the other CRX cobots, the CRX-10iA/L Paint is maintenance-free for eight years.

As with other CRX models, the CRX-10iA/L Paint collaborative robot is programmed with the FANUC CRX Tablet Teach Pendant. Via graphical icons, first-time users can create paint path programs using the drag-and-drop interface. Intuitive paint-specific icon commands have also been added for paint applications.

Additionally, the CRX-10iA/L Paint cobot has full optimization capabilities with path editing and Roboguide software. It can be integrated with other equipment used in painting, powder, liquid, coating and fiberglass-reinforced plastic applications.