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Tokyo, September 29, 2008 — Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. announced today that it is releasing the R Series robots on October 1, 2008. These robots have been developed by advancing the excellent features of their predecessor F Series robots and establishing the specific three concepts: High-Speed, Large Torques and Wide Working Range. As a result, the R Series is able to expedite operation speeds, provide a greater wrist load capacity*1 and extend an operation range. The R Series robots are compact and have rounded shapes producing a less austere atmosphere in a production site. The R Series can be utilized for an extensive range of operations such as assembling, handling and sealing. Alongside the E Series, a series of new controllers planned to be release simultaneously, the R Series robots which have undergone full model changes are ambitious products of Kawasaki.
The RS20N, the first robot to be released among the R Series, provides a maximum speed approximately 20% faster compared to that of a robot equivalent to a previous F Series robot. The maximum reach of the RS20N is the longest among its class while a weight reduction of approximately 18% has also been achieved. The RS20N is a mid-size robot among the R Series in terms of its payload capacity and reaches. Like the prior developments of F-series, Kawasaki is planning to introduce models that can provide various payload capacities/operational ranges and release them in sequence.
*1: Improved wrist torques and inertia (inertial moments) can be compared to a stronger wrist of a human being. Based on these improvements, the R Series is able to reach and move a workpiece located further away.
Major features
1) High-speed
The R Series provides highly improved maximum speeds/adjustable-speeds as a result of the weight reduction of the arms and the adoption of high-power, fast-rotating and small size motors. These robots also provide significantly reduced cycle times as they are able to alternate an adjustable-speed according to the payload capacity and the robots position in order to achieve an optimum performance at all times.
2) Large torques
The R Series offers a greater wrist payload capacity as a result of adapting high-power, fast-rotating and small size motors and the improved arm stiffness providing a larger variety of shapes of hands, tools and workpieces to select from.
3) Wide working range
The R Series provides a wider operation range in both a downward direction and the proximity of the robot by extending not only the maximum reach but also each axis’s operation strokes offering more flexible layouts.
4) Slim and neat arms
Harnesses are mounted in the arms of the R Series robots enabling neat wiring that causes no interference with peripherals. The arms of these robots have also been downsized to the greatest extent possible and have smooth shapes enabling high-density layout and contributing to the downsizing of an operation area.
5) High adaptability
Each joint has a double sealing structure and waterproof connectors are used to produce a wrist of IP67*2 and axis of IP65*3. The R Series is also able to correspond to an axis of IP67 by optional modification.
6) High extensibility
Optional built-in pneumatic devices and signal wires are provided in order to correspond to a variety of applications. Furthermore, a service tap is provided in each unit of an arm as standard equipment enabling a simple wiring and/or piping addition.
*2 and 3: IP values
- IP 6X: Indicating that dust does not enter the inside of the robot.
- IPX5: Indicating that no harmful impacts take place due to direct water flow running from any direction.
- IPX7: Indicating that no harmful impacts take place when the robot is soaked in water under a predetermined pressure over a predetermined time period.
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