FANUC launches SCARA Robot range

FANUC UK has introduced its first range of Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm (SCARA) robots for assembly, packing and material handling applications.

FANUC first unveiled the SR-3iA at last year’s International Robot Exhibition (iREX) in Tokyo and says it’s perfectly suited for manufacturers requiring automated and fast assembly within a circular working envelope.

The robot has several mounting options, including wall and bottom-down, making it a flexible, space-saving solution for even the smallest of machine shops.

It has a maximum payload of 3kg, with a horizontal and vertical reach of 400mm and 200mm and the larger version of the robot, the SR-6iA, allows for heavier handling requirements.

The SCARA’s machine-to-machine capabilities allow it to work effectively with other SCARA and Cartesian robots as part of a fully-automated cell.

The SCARA robot includes FANUC’s new R-30iB Compact Plus Controller as standard, which for manufacturers who are new to automation helps operators to program simple commands into the robot without requiring external assistance.

 “SCARA robots have long been a staple of the electronics industry, but their increasing precision, speed and flexibility mean that they are now being applied to other industries and applications, such as weld-sealing and paint spraying,” said Andrew Armstrong, Sales and Marketing Manager at FANUC UK.

“FANUC’s first SCARA robot embodies all of this, and more. Its integrated, compact design makes it perfectly suited to smaller machine shops with less floor space. It can also communicate with other FANUC robots to create a fully-automated production line.

For added functionality, operators can also choose from a range of FANUC software, such as the iRProgrammer, a web-based user interface that can be operated via a tablet or PC; the iRPickTool, a visual tracking technology that allows robots to identify, pick and place items from a moving conveyor and fieldbus connectivity, which allows operators to connect the SCARA robot to other FANUC machines on the factory floor.