OB7 Cobots Facilitate Socially Distanced Manufacturing

The OB7 line of collaborative robots from Absolute Machine Tools’ partner Productive Robotics can maximize safety, convenience and productivity, helping manufacturers comply with social distancing recommendations for reducing the spread of COVID-19. 

Fully compliant with ISO 102018-1 industrial robot safety requirements, the four cobots can perform operations ranging from welding and cutting to painting and assembly without isolation from human workers. For additional flexibility, the cobots feature a seventh axis in the J3 arm joint, which enables them to operate in confined workplaces and reach around obstructions such as a machine tool’s sliding door.

OB7 cobots require no coding or programming. Shop personnel can teach new tasks by dropping and dragging tiles on the control tablet interface. Users can create custom job functions for complex or repetitive tasks, then label and save them for future recall.

Other features include an IP 30 computer that controls all axis joints and components; locked network ports to prevent unauthorized access; a rolling stand with casters for portability, an on-stand assembly table that provides a work surface for fixture placement and facilitates job changeovers; a 15-minute power supply so the cobot can be moved without powering down; a versatile end-of-arm parallel electric gripper; compatibility with most robotic grippers and end-of-arm tooling attachments; user-adjustable gripping force, speed and opening position; optional laser safety scanner for high-speed operations with 270-degree detection range, a 5 m protection zone and a 20 m warning zone; ongoing updates to improve connectivity, efficient and integration with other equipment; and real-time status monitoring via email and text alerts.