Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1467744
44 PCB007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2022 up on. Once they learn and understand it, and are a lit- tle more comfortable with what they can program on it, they'll find other appli- cations within the facility. For example, last month I was visiting a customer. As we walked through the plant, he was pointing out areas he would like to automate. Many of them were a perfect fit for this robot while others needed another solution. We partnered with Chem- c u t b e c a u s e w e wa n te d their assistance with the add-on integration, making it easy for an existing customer to add automation into their process. Regarding the setup that you saw at the IPC show, Chemcut designed the bracket and the rack. It's adjust- able and can handle different size panels mak- ing it easy for customers to transition from one job to another. Robinson: Both pieces of equipment work in concert with one another, so if the Chem- cut machine stops, the robot will wait for the machine to be ready for the next panel. Johnson: We're starting to talk about includ- ing material automation into an existing fac- tory. Much of the conversation is that you can bring that process automation into your fac- tory when you're building a greenfield, but upgrading an existing facility is something that a lot of people shake their heads at. ey say it's just too much work, not worth tackling. It seems like this application is proving them wrong. Reitz: I agree. All the Chemcut customers we've shown are very excited about it. ey want us to demonstrate the unit and they are already sending samples into our lab. We have a full-scale R&D lab where we're going to demonstrate using their parts and panels for proof of concept for them. It's getting more interesting by the day. Shaughnessy: In the spirit of talking about the good, the bad, and the ugly, what can't this robot do? Are there mate- rial types that just don't seem to work, based on the current experience? Robinson: ere is a payload limit, which is just under three pounds so certain panels—like large back- planes—might be beyond the payload of the robot. But it will handle the majority of most customers' workloads. Johnson: What happens in a high-mix situation where they may be running jobs that the han- dler can't handle? What do they do? Robinson: With the small percentage of prod- uct that exceeds the payload the robot would remain parked off to the side and it would be business as usual. ey would just run the machine the way they have been for years. Johnson: It's not in a situation where they actu- ally lose old school functionality by integrating the robotic handler? Reitz: Not at all. e base of the robot is only six inches by six inches, so it does not take up a lot of space. Siemering: With the bracket that Chemcut designed and demonstrated at the IPC show, the material is always picked up in the same spot—the center—therefore, the dimension of the panel doesn't really matter. Neil Robinson