DENSO Robotics presents the new VS H2O2/UV 6-axis robot at the Motek 2014 / Round forms, the absence of external visible screws and a washable and resistant surface make the robot the first choice for medical, pharmaceutical, electronics and food industries

The new robot VS H2O2/UV will be in the centre of the presentation of DENSO robotics, worldwide market leader for compact robots, at this years Motek in Stuttgart, Germany. The state-of-the-art robot offers a special surface that is resistant against sterilization methods with H2O2 and UV light. The robot includes a completely internal wiring that goes up to the robots 6th axis. It also features an innovative design with soft and round forms, so no residue and dirt can accumulate on the robot. The VS H2O2/UV is the perfect solution for the medical, pharmaceutical, electronics and food industries, which all require high standards of hygiene and sterility. DENSO Robotics will present the new robot in hall 7 at booth 7108 at the Stuttgart trade fair from 6-9 October 2014. In addition, DENSO will showcase the EYEFEEDER®, a feeding system consisting of a camera and a robot operated via a RC8 controller. This application illustrates the flexible interaction of controller, robot, and peripheral devices and demonstrates how easy it is to integrate robots into a production line.

"The VS H2O2/UV is ideal for customers with applications such as sorting, portioning, processing and packing", Jürgen Küch, Senior Manager Europe at DENSO Robotics, explains. "The number of pre-orders for the robots demonstrates that our customers from the pharmaceutical, medical and food industries have great confidence in our products and services. They have literally been waiting for DENSO launching a robot like the VS H2O2/UV." Clean room environments are allowed only to contain a minimum of dust, suspended particulates, and chemical vapours. Companies in these industries have to operate based on strict regulations about hygiene and sterility. Companies often use hydrogen peroxide H2O2 and ultraviolet light to kill germs and bacteria. "Not every robot is suitable for such demanding working environment", Küch points out.

Growing demand for robots suitable for sterile environments

The robot is equipped with a shiny aluminium surface that ensures easy cleaning and makes it easy to spot dirt particles. The round design hinders the accumulation of bacteria in hard-to-reach or square surfaces. The absence of visible screws limits the settling of bacteria and dirt as well. Like the new VS Series, this robot features a complete internal wiring up to the end of the robots arm (6th axis). This enables to connect grippers and other devices directly to the robots flange using a so called "communication flange". This prevents tangling the wires with surrounding equipment or damaging them while cleaning the robot with strong chemicals. Connecting the robot at the bottom allows all cables to be sealed inside and keeps all bacteria out. Special optional features of the robot are also an external battery unit for the robots motor encoders that can be placed outside the clean room environment, therefore preventing contamination, as well as the option of an external brake release unit for the robots axes.

EYEFEEDER® regulates material input

The feeding system, EYEFEEDER®, is another highlight at the stand of DENSO Robotics. This solution consists of a part feeder, a camera system and a DENSO robot. The whole system is operated and controlled by the RC8 controller. The system works in the following way: Material is delivered by a bulk-material carrier. As soon as the products are put on the conveyor, they are moved towards the vision-systems recognition area. The vision system then decides the steps to follow: if the products are well positioned and ready for collection, it transmits the coordinates to the robots controller, so that the robot can grab the products. If the number of products is sufficient but they are out of place, the camera system reports that the products have to be tossed or turned in order for the robot to collect them. If there are enough products remaining, the camera system reports that new products have to be shifted into the vision-systems recognition area. The motors of the part feeder are powered directly by the RC8, which means no further console terminal is necessary.

"The EYEFEEDER® can be combined with different 4- and 6-axis DENSO robots, depending whether pick and place or assembly operations are necessary. This again underlines the flexibility of our products", Küch says. The conveyors speed and joggling intensity are determined by the RC8 controller, which is connected to the EYEFEEDER® via an Ethernet connection to the ORiN Network. The RC8 is the smallest industrial robot control in the 3-kW-class. Altogether, the EYEFEEDER® is able to move parts of up to 250 mm and a maximum weight of up to 300g.

For further information please visit www.densorobotics-europe.com and www.eyefeeder.com.

About DENSO Robotics
DENSO Robotics is part of the DENSO Group, which, according to the Fortune Global 500, is one of the 500 largest companies in the world, in addition to being one of the two largest automotive suppliers in the world. As a recognized world leader in the small robotics field, DENSO Robotics is a pioneer in terms of reliability, flexibility, and functionality. With more than 60,000 DENSO robots found worldwide, 16,000 of which are used for in-house production, DENSO clearly has considerable knowledge and experience in the field of automation.
DENSO Robotics is the ideal solution for the industrial robotics division. The companys wide product range spans from four-axis robots (SCARAs) to five and even six -axis robots, which are all distinguished by superior speed, precision, and quality. DENSO Robots can move a weight of 20 kg and thus offer a high degree of functionality. Each model has been developed to the highest standards of quality. DENSO robots are not only compact, lightweight, and require minimal maintenance, but they also feature a two-year warranty.
For more cost efficiency and user-friendly functionality, all DENSO Robot models have an identical control mechanism. DENSO Robots are also functional in dusty, wet, or clinical settings. DENSO Robots meet the following protected classes:
- standard (IP40)
- dust and splash protection (IP65)
- IP67 protection
- Clean Room Class 10 and 100
- H202 (Hydrogen Peroxide commonly used for sterilization purposes in the pharmaceutical and medical industries) & H2O2 + UV-light-resistant
- UL specifications (for the US and Canada)
DENSOs competitors can also rely on the market segment leader in the small robot, for example, if they need to expand their own prodect portfolios unbranded hardware - further evidence of DENSOs good reputation in the robotics market.
www.densorobotics-europe.com