Page 34 - MetalForming March 2023 - PMA Chairman Jeff Aznavorian

Special Section: FABRICATION ROBOT RETROFITS
process efficiency, he notes. Using new, higher-quality peripherals also can help extend robot functionality and asset longevity.
End-of-arm tooling (EOAT) repre- sents a unique area in the retrofit equa- tion, as most of that is specific to inhouse and integrator expertise. How- ever, if inhouse and integrator inspec- tions don’t find fault with EOAT and related jigs and fixtures, problems may be elsewhere.
“A robot in most cases has six joints, and these joints can show some level of wear,” Klopfenstein says. “That’s where a robot rebuild comes in. We’ll look at each individual joint and deter- mine where deflection originates, and can rebuild equipment to remove that.”
To reduce downtime, a robot can be swapped quickly with an upgraded robot, which eases connection of elec- trical and control services.
“A robot provider can assess where the existing robot sits in its lifecycle, and from that, perhaps a new robot makes sense,” says Klopfenstein.
Simplified Modernization for Safety’s Sake
In some cases, changes to processes or perhaps an unfortunate incident require upgrades to automation equip- ment. Here, a risk assessment likely is in order, as American National Stan- dards Institute (ANSI) safety standards must be followed when upgrading orig- inal equipment. Upgrades may include the addition of safety programmable logic controllers (PLCs) to replace older safety relays. PLCs allow for easier mod- ifications down the road as needed.
“I've been doing this work since the mid-1990s, and more than any other part of robot controls, safety circuits have changed the most,” Klopfenstein offers. “The past 6 yr. or so we’ve seen a focus on safety circuits becoming more like a PLC—not necessarily hard- wired. This allows for easier changes to safety circuits. For example, when adding a light curtain, another e-stop, a pull chain or any peripheral that attaches to a controller to stop the
Robot retrofits can include electrical-harness upgrades (as shown here), controls upgrades, regreases or even full rebuilds with all components pulled apart, examined, replaced if needed and cleaned.
robot, safety PLCs allow for simple modification.”
Save Money
Manufacturers running lights out may want to consider changing key automation components every couple of years. Doing so ensures use of the most energy-efficient equipment while helping prevent unnecessary downtime due to old or broken equipment. Even seemingly small retrofits can bring big dividends.
“A fan, for example, generates a lot of amp draw,” says Klopfenstein. “A retrofit can be as simple as adding con- trols to shut off fans when not needing the additional cooling. This can bring substantial savings over time, especially if a manufacturer runs dozens or hun- dreds of robots.”
Optimize Robot Performance
Maintenance is a must for prolong- ing the lifecycle of a robot. A strict maintenance schedule combined with upgrades as necessary help guarantee an optimal return on robot investment. At times, a complete disassembly, cleaning and rebuild of the robot— including replacement of all wiring harnesses and bearings—may be in order. Every robot should come with a preventive-maintenance schedule,
including annual greasing procedures and other hour-based tasks.
“Pay attention to the robot manual and stay on top of maintenance,” Klopfenstein says. “Yaskawa, for exam- ple, can monitor preventive mainte- nance for a manufacturer via its service team. Maintaining the equipment is the name of the game in extending a robot’s lifecycle.”
Turn Old Into New
“Utilize as much of the older equip- ment as possible and bring it up to date,” concludes Klopfenstein, stressing that robot retrofits bring big benefits. “Many users don’t realize that they can retrofit new controls on an older sys- tem. Recently, we retrofitted a welding cell—at least 10 yr. old—that has two robots and a positioner. We installed two new robots that control the posi- tioner, but rebuilt the positioner—all at a fraction of the cost for a new cell.”
The lesson here from Klopfenstein: Look at all options, including a retrofit, before deciding to replace an entire cell.
From the robot revolution begun in Trenton, NJ, comes a robot evolution in the form of retrofitting, which prom- ises potential to significantly improve processes and safety at a reasonable cost. MF
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