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Stäubli showcases six-axis robots for parts cleaning

Cleaning robots make their debut At this year’s Hannover Messe, Stäubli Robotics will be demonstrating just how easy and efficient the automated cleaning of components can be. The HE cleaning robots from Stäubli are designed for particularly tough operating conditions. Even direct contact with liquids and splashes leaves these six-axis robots unaffected.

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STÄUBLI TX200 HE – fully encapsulated robot with protection class IP65, the IP67 wrist even permits submersion in liquid media and has been shown to resist acids, alkalis, corrosion and heat
Photo by Stäubli Tec-Systems GmbH Robotics

The use of Stäubli robots in industrial parts cleaning has recently stepped up a gear, according to Stäubli Robotics CEO Gerald Vogt: “For several years now, well-known manufacturers of parts cleaning systems for processes such as batch charging and parts handling have been opting for our HE robots. We have now added a completely new field of application, in which the robot actively takes on the job of cleaning the components with a high pressure water jet. We will be showing how this works in detail at our stand in Hannover.”

For this purpose, Stäubli has constructed a fully functional demo cell in which the HE version of a six-axis TX90L cleans individual parts. Visitors who call in to see the demonstration can judge for themselves not only the efficiency and speed of the process but also how simple it is to program the robot. Thanks to the user friendliness of the system, it takes only minutes to program the routine for a new part.

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Duerr_EcoCFlex: With their wash-down design, Stäubli’s sensitive environment robots for wet areas are ideally suited to industrial parts cleaning
Photo by Stäubli Tec-Systems GmbH Robotics

However, Vogt issues a warning against trying to use conventional basic robots for this pioneering cleaning concept: “The intensive spraying of water in this job would soon finish off a standard robot. Only our HE models are able to cope with these conditions over a prolonged period. In order to supply users with the right robot for every cleaning task, we now offer eleven models equipped to HE specification, ranging from the small TX60 up to the large TX200.”

HE robots: First choice for parts cleaning

The abbreviation HE stands for “Humid Environment” and is used by Stäubli to denote six-axis robots which have been designed for use in wet rooms. The HE product line is suitable for particularly tough conditions involving liquid spray and splashing. Even the standard versions of these fully encapsulated robots comply with protection class IP65, and the application of the Stäubli overpressure unit increases this protection classification yet further. The IP67 wrist even permits submersion in liquid media and has been shown to resist acids, alkalis, corrosion and heat.

Especially conducive to parts cleaning is the vertical cable ducting. All connections are located under the robot base where they are protected from splashes. To ensure the long-term sustainable deployment of its HE robots, Stäubli has used stainless steel parts, robust seals and specially coated housing parts, all of which also makes them less susceptible to mechanical damage.

With their wash-down design, Stäubli’s HE robots are ideally suited to industrial parts cleaning. There has been a growing demand in the automotive industry for highly flexible cleaning cells, especially for the inline cleaning of individual parts such as gear boxes, turbocharger housings, crankcases, crankshafts and camshaft.

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Growing demand in automotive industry for highly flexible washing cells of individual parts such as gear boxes, crankcases, crankshafts etc.
Photo by Stäubli Tec-Systems GmbH Robotics

Gerald Vogt summarizes the main features that customers appreciate in this line of cleaning robots: “Our HE robots are just as low-maintenance and service-friendly as our standard robots. Our Premium Warranty which comes with our cleaning robots also extends to six years. In fact, Stäubli is probably the only manufacturer worldwide who can offer such a guarantee for machines operating in the sort of extreme conditions encountered in wet areas. More than ten years’ experience of designing robots for wet environments is paying dividends.”

For further information please visit: www.staubli.com