Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1467744
40 PCB007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2022 robotic handler we offer is that the soware works on top of Python, which is a common soware that runs automation. It's very easy to use and it's not intimidating. When we first sent a robot to Chemcut one of their engineers, Dan Dietz, had it up and running in an hour or two. You can pull it out of the box, follow the instructions, and pro- gram it pretty rapidly to pick something up and move it to a conveyor. ere's not a very complex tool path with it. Neil Robinson: When we've done demonstra- tions in the field, we show up at a customer site and within 45 minutes, we are actively load- ing product onto any conveyorized line. Not only is the setup simple, but it's very simple to operate. Anybody who works in a manufactur- ing facility could be taught to program this robot within a couple of hours, unlike other indus- trial robots that have equally sophisticated so- ware that require certain expertise to program. As Bruce pointed out, the soware used to pro- gram this robot is a very user-friendly shell that sits on top of Python. rough graphics on the screen, two buttons that reside on the robot, and a mouse, you can create pretty sophisti- cated programs to load and unload equipment. e robot also has several digital inputs and outputs for sending and receiving commands from other equipment and devices. Johnson: Is the handler so specialized that it only works well in a board fab application, or can it be used for other purposes? Robinson: is robot wasn't originally designed for the chemical milling or PCB industries. Actually, most of the early applications were in laboratory automation. We've taken that robot and adapted it to chemical milling and the printed cir- cuit board industries with the use of specialized suc- tion grippers. e robot can also be equipped with other tooling to handle many dif- ferent applications, but pri- marily we are focused on the conveyorized equipment that Chemcut offers. Johnson: With such an easy setup and operation, are your customers buying into the idea? Robinson: Yes, overall, there are 300 to 400 units in the field with the first chemical milling installation in the United Kingdom. at unit has been in operation for a couple of years and the robot is holding up very well to that chemi- cal environment. Siemering: at was one of the initial questions and concerns when we brought this to Chem- cut. ey said, "Is this going to hold up in this chemical environment, which tends to eat the raers out of the ceiling?" A typical chemi- cal milling shop is an even harsher environ- ment, sometimes, than a PCB environment. e robot has been in place for two years now and we have had no issues. e exterior is all plastic and sealed up very well. ere's not a separate electrical box that has to hang some- where. Everything, including the soware, is inside the base of the robot. It's compact and affordable. Someone can get started with some common tasks around a PCB or chemical mill- ing facility and put the person that was running that machine to better use, or they can operate two or three machines. Johnson: Chris, What is the value proposition that you see at Chemcut when attaching this handler to your equipment? Bruce Siemering