Okuma Showcases Line of Automated Robotic Loaders

Okuma America Corp. announces the launch of a line of automated robotics — the Okuma Robot Loader (ORL) series. The custom ORL product series includes three products, all of which are designed to seamlessly load and unload workpieces from Okuma machines to increase productivity and aid operator efficiency. The ORL product family includes:

• ORL-D – Drawer, a drawer-style workpiece storage unit with a standard template that can hold up to 92 workpieces. An optional template can be purchased that can hold up to 180 smaller workpieces.
• ORL-R – Rotary, a disc-style workpiece storage unit with a variety of template options that can hold up to 166 workpieces
• ORL-MC – Machining Center, a workholding and workpiece storage unit for up to 288 workpieces. MultiGrip workholding can enable users to automate multiple OP10/OP20/OP30 part numbers in high-mix, low-volume manufacturing.

Each ORL product has been designed with a compact footprint, requiring between 8 and 9 ft. of floor space. Additionally, each product utilizes FANUC industrial robot arms and grippers which can hold a payload of up to 25 lbs.

The Okuma factory automation division is also displaying two ORL units paired with Okuma machine tools at the company’s booth:

• ORL-R – This unit is paired with an Okuma Multus B300II, a multitasking machine, to load and unload demo parts. An accompanying cobot transfers demo parts from a cart, transported by an Autonomous Mobile Robot Cell (AMR), into one of the unit’s pallet drawers.

• ORL-MC – This unit is paired with an Okuma Genos M560V0-5AX, a five-axis vertical machining center, and an Automatic Tool Changer (ATC). The unit loads and unloads demo parts from the machine onto the ORL pallets. The unit also switches the workholding in the machine based on which cutting operation is being performed on the part.