Automating Grease Application With the Small Robots OVR

The assembly process for Oriental Motor compact electric cylinders begins with applying grease to the ball screws.
However, since this process was done manually, it required human skill in terms of the amount or position to be applied, etc.
As a result, only certain personnel could work, creating a bottleneck in improving productivity.

Issue

Manual Labor Does Not Improve Productivity and Quality is Difficult to Stabilize

Conventional Problems

The amount of grease application or the position to apply it, etc. requires human skill
Only certain personnel could work, which does not improve productivity
Added and wiped off occurs, because the amount of application is not constant

Ball Screw Part — Compact Electric Cylinder

Solution

Automated Grease Application Using Small Robot Arm

Manufacture and install a grease application equipment using Small Robots OVR 4-axis articulated robot, and robot controller MRC01
Achieved a constant application amount by mechanizing the grease application that was done manually
The process of applying grease to the ball screw mechanized using the hollow rotary actuator DGII Series, the electric linear slide EZS Series for clean room use

Equipment: Grease application equipment

Application: Applying grease to the ball screw

Adopted Products: Small Robots OVR 4-axis articulated robot
Robot controller MRC01
Hollow rotary actuator DGII Series
Electric linear slide EZS Series for clean room use

Equipment Specifications

Dimensions (mm)	W 800 × D 1200 × H 1600
Cycle Time	Less than 100 sec.
Main Power Supply	100 VAC
Target Load	Length: 67~181 mm Diameter: 4~14 mm

Key Adoption Points

Space Saving

Since different products use different grease, the facility requires space to install multiple dispensers.
For this reason, considered the articulated robot rather than cartesian axis such as linear slide/cylinders.
The Small Robots OVR 4-axis articulated robot decided key points for using because it has space saving footprint of 130 mm × 130 mm and thus can secure a large work space, and is inexpensive. This allows multi-product production can be enabling dispenser auto-change (setup) because multiple dispensers to be installed in a small space within the facility.

Easy Programming

No ladder knowledge required. Program operates by selecting items

In terms of control, creating a ladder program is usually difficult and requires a high level of skill when controlling multiple axes of the motor with a PLC.
Therefore, decided to also adopt the MRC01 robot controller, which makes programming easy.

Reducing the Burden and Time for Start-up

Actuators equipped with the AZ series built-in battery-free absolute encoder was used for rotational drive and linear drive around the robot.
Because the motor is same as the AZ series, the wiring and control can be unified, and burden and time for start-up have been reduced.

Introduction Effect

Adopted Products

Small Robots OVR 4-Axis Articulated Robot
OVR4068K5-V

Parallel link mechanism
Horizontally level at all times to allow for stable transport of components
Maximum Payload: 5 kg
Maximum reach (horizontal) 480/680/880 mm
Drive Motor: AZ Series (DC input) equipped with battery-free built-in absolute encoder

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Robot Controller MRC01