Page 22 - MetalForming February 2020

Fabrication: News & Technology
rotary and tilt (fourth and fifth) axes of laser-beam motion. Rotary (C axis) motion is 900 deg. about the vertical axis while tilt (D axis) travel is
±150 deg.
about the hori-
zontal axis.
BeamDirector
features direct-
drive design, optical
encoders for high accuracy,
repeatable, high assist-gas pres-
sure and flow, and adjustable mirrors
for simple and accurate beam alignment. The high-capacity direct-drive design eliminates gears and belts to improve accuracy, allowing for greater travel and reach over zero-offset-style wrists.
The S94P control includes solutions for welding, drilling and cutting of parts in a range of standard or specialty materials, including the latest high-temperature and exotic metals.
Prima Power Laserdyne: www.primapowerlaserdyne.com
Cobot Arc Welding by the Hour
At FABTECH, Universal Robots offered info on the new BotX Welder, a robotic arc welding system developed by Hirebotics, Red-D-Arc and Airgas, and utilizing a UR10e cobot. The system addresses, according to the developers, two major hurdles of robotic arc welding: ease of programming and the ease in which a fabricator can obtain the system without assuming the cost of ownership. The BotX features no installation costs, and with cloud monitoring, users pay only for the hours the system actually
welds. This enables a manufacturer to hire the BotX as business needs dictate.
“We chose Universal Robots to power BotX for several reasons,” says Rob Goldiez, co-founder and CEO of Hirebotics. “With Universal Robots’ open architecture, we were able to control not only wire-feed speed and voltage, but torch angle as well, which
ensures a quality weld every time.”
Users can teach the system required welds via an intuitive app on any smartphone
or tablet utilizing a library of welding recipes contained in the BotX software developed
specifically for the BotX and optimized to work with Airgas’ Arcal shielding gas. The complete product offering includes the UR10e cobot arm, cloud connector, welder, wire feeder, gas metal arc welding gun, weld table and configurable user-input touch buttons. The BotX performed live welding in the Airgas and OnShape booths at FABTECH.
Universal Robots: www.universal-robots.com
Small-Footprint Electric Press Brake
MC Machinery Systems introduced its new ball-screw press brake, the BB306, at FABTECH. The fully electric machine features a smaller footprint to fit any facility and form smaller parts. Other stan- dard features: integrated all-axis pulse handle; thickness detection; five-axis backgauge; front and back LED lighting; and large, user-friendly control.
20 MetalForming/February 2020
www.metalformingmagazine.com
The BB306 includes 100-percent Mit- subishi electronics, motors and servo drives, featuring an AC servo motor and ball-screw drive mechanism for high-speed productivity and repeatability, according to company officials. A folding front table and a tilting operator-adjustable controller ergonomically support workers in standing or sitting positions.
MC Machinery Systems: www.mcmachinery.com