Robotic Machining Overview
Manufacturing processes using industrial robots to cut, drill, grind, or mill are referred to as “Robotic Machining”. These systems are an important tool for the manufacturing industry, providing greater efficiency, precision, and high levels of automation. Robotic machining has been used in many sectors for decades, including aerospace, automotive, architecture, medical devices, and more, with machines ranging from simple to highly complex.
Image: One of our robotic machining systems milling a compound complex curved wall surface. See more on this project, destined for the US Space and Rocket Center, at the link below.
Machining Processes
Milling, deburring, drilling, trimming, and grinding are all different machining processes used to shape and finish materials.
Milling is a process that uses a cutting tool to remove material from a workpiece. It can create a wide range of shapes and features, and is often used to create precise parts and components.
Drilling operations use a cutting tool to make holes in a workpiece. It is commonly used to create holes for fasteners, such as screws, or to create passages for fluid or electrical systems.
Trimming is the process of removing excess material or flash from a workpiece. It is typically used to clean up the edges of a part after it has been molded or cast.
Deburring refers to processes which remove burrs, which are small, sharp edges left on a workpiece after it has been milled, drilled, or trimmed.
Grinding processes use an abrasive wheel or tool to remove material from a workpiece, typically to create a smooth finish or to achieve a desired surface roughness.
Overall, while these processes do have similarities, each has its own unique characteristics and ideal applications.
Robotic Machining vs Traditional CNC Machining
Machining systems can be classified into categories based on the number of axes of movement, machine size, and specific application. Some examples of traditional CNC milling machines are: vertical milling machines, horizontal milling machines, and gantry milling machines. Contrast this with industrial robotic milling machines, which use robotic arms with attached cutting tools to perform milling operations. In the case of robotic milling, the robotic arm is controlled by a computer program similar to a CNC machine’s ‘nc’ program.
Traditional CNC Machines
While these tools are similar to robotic milling machines, they have specific niches where they perform best. A CNC machine, like a vertical or horizontal machining center, is best suited for high-tolerance work in metal. This is because they are rigid machines that move in perfect linear motion with high mass, meaning their material removal rate can be very high without deflecting its movement. The most common of these machines are three to four axes. More expensive machines come in five axes. CNC machines can be highly costly, even for small work envelopes. As they scale up to larger form factors, they become multi-million-dollar investments for even a single machine.
Robotic Machining Systems
Industrial robotic machining systems are known for their agility and size. Starting with 6-axes of freedom, these systems can scale to very large or complex work envelopes easily. Robotic machining also benefits from a large, 360-degree range of motion. For example, an industrial robot can have a long 3.1 meter radius of reach. Add a linear track, and you can achieve up to 100+ feet of motion in addition to the reach of the robot. This work envelope is comparable to the most expensive CNC gantries, but comes in at a fraction of the cost. Additionally, much less infrastructure is needed to set up a robot vs a traditional gantry. Many gantry CNC machines require thick reinforced floors and high ceilings, which is not necessary for a robotic workcell. If you're interested in higher throughput, you can even add additional robots to the same linear rail and cut process time in half. It's also possible to install an additional robot + rail across from the first to achieve even faster processing time.
Finally, multiple processes like 3D printing, machining, scanning, and work removal can be integrated into the same robot. Keep in mind, you're not just buying a milling machine but a multipurpose industrial workhorse capable of performing many useful tasks. Add an automated software process and you're set for automated fabrication.
Robotic Platform
The Kuka Quantec-2 series is the industry standard for industrial robotics. It has a mean time before failure of 400,000 hours, and the factory line is guaranteed to continue production for the next 25 years making it a future-proof investment. It is also one of the most highly accurate and capable industrial robots on the market. All of these reasons are why One Off Robotics has selected the Kuka Quantec-2 as our central workhorse for robotic fabrication.
Click the link below to learn more about the Quantec family of robots at Kuka.com.
Applications
Think BIG! Large industrial robots are an amazing value for the work envelope and performance. They are ideal fabrication tools for aerospace applications like airframes, architectural applications such as molds or formwork, props for the entertainment industry, tooling jigs, vacuum form molds, and much more. Robotic platforms can be easily adapted to changing requirements or new processes, and are simple to scale up as needed. These platforms are also standard across the manufacturing industry, and can be operated by almost anyone.
One Off Robotics has built machining robots of virtually every size for industry, education, and research. Our systems are designed from the ground up for automation and ease-of-operation. Find out how you can put our robotic machining offerings to work at your facility at our product page linked below.
