An innovative lightweight robot, two new families of compact robots, a wealth of industry-specific developments and many inspiring ideas for automating production – these are just some of the highlights that KUKA Roboter is presenting on an area of 1,300 m³ at its AUTOMATICA booth in Hall 3. But even this is not enough for the Augsburg-based company, which ranks among the global market leaders in robotic automation. Clearly focusing on its target market, manufacturing industry, KUKA is showcasing at the flagship fair for automation and robotics exactly those systems and solutions which give reliable service, day in, day out, in real industrial applications.

One such example is the KUKA KR 6 ARC robot with its optimized mechanical design for precise arc welding. The system can lift loads of up to six kilograms, has the largest reach in its class – from 1611 to 1911 millimeters – and can be used even in complex cells due to its low height.

The KUKA KR 60 KS robot, with a fluid and energy supply system mounted on axis 3, is optimally equipped for plastics applications. The system makes it possible to flexibly connect pneumatic and electrical control chains to form a custom-tailored automation application.
It can be implemented with up to four user valves and four vacuum circuits in a single, compact fluids terminal. State-of-the-art vacuum generators with an air-saving facility ensure economical use of energy. In addition to this, KUKA is demonstrating KUKA.Smart.Plast GUI the recently announced graphical user interface for the plastics industry, which allows extremely simple, fast programming of all robot sequences.

The KUKA robots KR 500 CR and KR 60 L45 CR are examples of high-performance cleanroom systems. They represent a whole family of cleanroom robots covering a broad spectrum of payloads. With specially painted and polished surfaces and modified seals, these systems are optimally equipped for their application. At the fair, the KR 500 CR and KR 60 L45 CR will be used for handling flat panel displays and glass substrate plates, or for operating a CD player.

In addition to the many impressions and important information gained, visitors can also take a more tangible memento away with them from the fair. However, they have to do something for it, as a KUKA KR 60 robot is milling picture frames from pieces of wood with the aid of the new KUKA.CAMRob 2.0 software. This new software enables DIN 66025/DIN 66215-compliant NC data to be converted automatically into a robot program. The robot thus becomes a cost-effective alternative to 5-axis machine tools – even for small batches. As a hub technology, KUKA.CAMRob offers practical solutions for the milling of different materials in many branches of industry.

The impressive range of tasks that can be automated by industrial companies and their partners with the help of KUKA robotics is shown by a network of technology and applications connecting over 30 KUKA system partners spread across the whole of AUTOMATICA. The remarkable thing here is that integrators, system partners and development partners are presenting real, practical solutions for practical applications.
KUKA Roboter offers a uniquely wide range of standard, shelf-mounted and heavy-duty robots that can be mounted either on the floor or on the ceiling, thus making them multifunctional and flexible.
These systems are complemented by task-related additional applications and by “hub technologies”, based on the intelligent networking of standard controllers. Irrespective of the individual technologies involved, the product philosophy is characterized by a uniform look and feel, common application devices and consistent maintenance and upgrade concepts.