If you work with robots, you’ve noticed them getting faster, smaller for a given load capacity
and more advanced in their overall capabilities. At the same time, today’s robots have increasingly
stringent uptime requirements.
But it’s not just the robots that keep evolving. Components like cables and connectors must keep
pace with today’s advanced robotics technology. Without a reliable source for power and signal, even
the sturdiest robots will fail.
In this paper, we’ll show you new trends in advanced robotics, as well as some tips for properly
specifying and installing cables into your robot.
TOP TRENDS IN ROBOTICS TECHNOLOGY.
Several trends are shaping today’s robotics technology and helping expand its use beyond well established automotive applications. In general, robots are becoming smaller, lighter, more nimble,
easier to operate and less expensive. As robots become more lightweight and flexible, their mobility is also increasing. For example, six-axis robots are now commonly installed on platforms to move from one task to another. Cables must meet these new mobility demands, with companies such as
Lapp offering plug-and-play solutions that connect robots to a so-called “seventh axis,” which serves to move the robot into various positions. In this case, cable carriers with pre-installed cables are supplied by Lapp as complete units for ease of installation.
Torsion-rated cables are specifically designed to withstand increased torsional stresses and feature a different construction than continuously flexing cables. Continuous flex cable conductors are wrapped tightly to allow relative movement of individual conductors, whereas robotic cables feature
significantly longer lay lengths to compensate for more stressful torsional forces. In torsion applications, the following parameters must be considered: maximum speed and acceleration;
minimum bending radii of cables and wires; combined weight of all moving components (including the carrier track and related cables); and desired life expectancy of the complete system.
Click below to download the full technical whitepaper
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