Any Shape

Any Angle

URC Automation makes 6 axis robot router systems that do secondary operations such as routing and drilling on non-metallic parts.

High accuracy and high speed to insure quality parts at the lowest cycle time.

High up-time systems designed for 24/7 operation.

Many different type of cutting bits and tools can be used including right angle drills and routers, step drills, boring bars and a variety of router bits.

A tapping unit (option) can be configured for the router system.

Clamping circuits and controls provided for fixtures.

Circular and linear interpolation allow for complex blended paths while keeping the tool perpendicular (or at any desired angle) to the work-piece.

URC provides shell programs for all cutting and tool change functions.  Only the actual cutting path has to be taught for new parts.

Safety devices protect the operator during set-up and operations.  Safety devices include enclosure, safety mats or light curtains, and anti-tie down clamping circuits.

Our 6 axis robot routers allow our customers to cut and drill virtually any shape at any angle!

Frequently Asked Questions on URC 6 - 9 Axis Robot Routers

1. How fast does the robot router the material?

Depending on material thickness, material composition and the router bit, the robot will router between 1 to 4 inches per second.

For deflashing and removing parting lines, the robot router can move much faster than when routing.  URC sells compliant tools for these functions.

2. How fast does the robot drill the material?

Drilling speed is similar to routing, about 1 to 4 inches per second.

3. What is the speed of the robot between features?

The robot can approach 80 inches (or more depending on robot model) per second moving between two points.  Smaller moves will not allow the robot to achieve full speed but the robot will still be moving very fast.  High speed inter-feature motion is important to achieving low cycle time on the parts.

4. Can I program my part off-line?

Yes you can!  Motoman MotoSim or FANUC HandlingPRO software allows you to program your part off-line, test it for collisions, cycle time, what-if scenarios, testing other robot configurations and many other functions.  MotoSim and HandlingPRO allows automatic generation of the robot path from the edge of CAD features.

Upon the purchase of off-line software from URC, URC will provide the 3D modeled cell for programming.  Since the CAD world is not the same as the physical world, calibration to the real robot cell and some adjustments are needed.  Cell calibration software is included to calibrate the off-line program to the router cell. The main benefits are more accurate paths for complex contours and not tying up the robot during teaching for as long and bottlenecking production. 

5. How do I calculate cycle time?

We use 1 inch per second as a conservative time to calculate cycle time of cutting or drilling.  Until the part finish and 'chatter' can be evaluated under actual conditions, this is the best time to use.  Inter-feature moves are estimated at 40 inches per second.   Actual times are always better than this and the robot is usually waiting on the press for parts.

6. Do I have to cool my parts before routing and drilling them with the robot?

This depends on whether the parts were taught warm or cold and how much shrinkage or warpage will occur after the part has cooled.  Based on the part, some are cooled before material removal and some parts are loaded directly from the press into the robot cell.

7. How long does it take to teach a new part?

Most small new parts require about 1 - 4 hours of programming.  Larger parts can take up to 8 or more hours to program.  It depends on how many features are programmed, how large the part is and how long it takes to qualify a part.  Generally the QC department requires the longest time of the programming process so that the part meets the customer's requirements.  Off-line programming reduces the amount of time that the robot will be tied up teaching the new part as the part is programmed off-line.

8. Can I reuse an existing program and modify it for a new part in the part family?

Yes, the program can be copied and then have features added or deleted as desired.  One of our customers had 10 different variations on the same part.  After the initial part was programmed, the other 9 parts were quickly taught within a day.

9. How long do the tool bits last?

Much longer than manual operations as the robot is not subjecting the tool to shocks caused by drops or erratic motion.  Most router bits will last 3 - 4 weeks.  As the tool bit wears, it will be seen in the finish of the part.  When the tool bit gets too dull, the tool collision sensor will break, stopping the process.

10. Why does URC use pneumatic cutting tools instead of electric spindle drives?

Most applications can benefit by pneumatic tools as they are much smaller in size than electric tools.  This allows the robot to better reach under, around and into the parts.  Pneumatic tools are simple in operation and can be maintained more easily by in-house personnel.  URC will provide electric spindle tools as necessary or desired for the application. 

11. What if the part is too big for the robot to reach all of the features?

Sequential fixtures, rotary tables, head-stock / tail-stock, multi-position slides, or flip-over tables can be used to get at hidden features.  On some parts it may be more cost-effective (as opposed to building several fixtures) to have the operator manually finish a few features.