February 3, 2009

Welcome to the February 2009 issue of Motoman Direct, containing news, product information and updates from Motoman Inc.

Featured Products

NEW! MotoSim EG-VRC - Motoman’s MotoSim EG simulation software is now available with a Virtual Robot Controller (VRC) option that operates and displays just like the actual programming pendant for the NX100 controller.

Motoman Digital Interface for Miller AutoAxcess™ Power Source – Using DeviceNet®, the new digital interface provides all functions of the analog interface,
plus the ability to display setup
information and weld results on the robot teach pendant.

Dual-Arm SDA10 Robot - With “human-like" flexibility and 15 axes of motion, Motoman’s new dual-arm SDA10 robot is slimmer, stronger and has significantly faster acceleration.

HP600 Robot - Featuring a hefty 600 kg (1,323 lb) payload, the HP600 robot is ideal for heavy part handling and “jigless” processing.

Corporate News

Motoman’s Annual Customer Satisfaction Survey - for 2008 is nearly complete. If you received a survey and have not returned it yet, please do so by February 13. Motoman is committed to Total Customer Satisfaction and each employee’s goal is to exceed our customers’ expectations. Watch for results in the next issue of Motoman Direct, scheduled for early April.

Motoman Robot Appears in Movie - “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” Filmed at a warehouse set in Vancouver in March 2008, a Motoman HP50-35 robot (painted orange) appears in a scene near the end of the movie, performing a drilling operation on the “indestructible alien.”

Motoman Videos on “You Tube” - While the Motoman web site is still your best source for video clips showing Motoman robots performing a wide variety of applications, you can also find some interesting and unusual clips on “You Tube” at www.youtube.com. Search on Motoman robots. One popular clip shows dual-arm Motoman robots playing Japanese Taiko drums on a parade float: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkD26CQpDDo

Another video clip shows a dual-arm Motoman robot cooking Okonomiyaki -- a type of traditional Japanese “pancake” for trade show visitors: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6Q1r0u_5bI

Any time you have questions about a robotic application – be sure to request information using the link at the top of Motoman’s home page.

Click on the links below to access information relating to key focus areas for Motoman’s Advanced Systems Group (ASG):

Editorials, Case Studies & Articles

“Improved Automation: For Robotic Painting, the Key Word is Density” - Products Finishing – January 2009 – High-density robotic paint booth layouts save floorspace and reduce utility and environmental costs by cutting booth size requirements for make-up air and exhaust.

“Three Robots Perform Tandem-Arc, Heavy-Deposition Welding on Manitowoc Cranes Outriggers” – Penton’s Welding – Jan 2009 – Manitowoc Cranes is achieving stellar results using three Motoman HP20 robots equipped with Fronius tandem-arc packages to weld large construction crane outrigger beams. They’ve been able to improve productivity and bring out-sourced production back in-house.

“Rolling with the Changes” - Canadian Packaging – November 2008 – The Hershey Company uses a Motoman EPL160 robot in a palletizing system developed by FKI Logistix to palletize cartons of candy products at rates up to 40 cases per minute.

"Robots to the Rescue" - Entrepeneur - October 2008 - Case study tells how LB Steel/Coburn Steel is successfully using robots to stay competitive against foreign manufacturers. Three Motoman robot cells weld very large, heavy components for the construction, railroad and mining industries.

Case Studies - New Motoman application case study summaries are posted to our web site regularly. Recent additions include:

ACS#116 GMAW - Snow plow frames
ACS#117 RSW – Spot Welding - Automotive panel & rail assemblies
ACS#118 Plasma Cutting/Material Handling - Rectangular tubes

Customer Satisfaction & Training

XRC Controller Fan Retrofit - Motoman has developed a retrofit package for XRC controllers that turns the controller fans off after servos are idle for 20 minutes. This saves customers approximately 50% on the controller’s power consumption and reduces downtime by extending the life of the controller’s fans. Additionally, it sends an alarm to the programming pendant in the case of fan failure. (Currently XRC controllers do not show an alarm when a controller fan fails.) Interested? Contact your regional technical manager or call the Customer Service “hotline” at 937.847.3200.

Automatic Periodic Maintenance Notification - Motoman is now emailing customer contacts (11 months after their system/robot was shipped) with a reminder that periodic maintenance is likely due. Customers can call or email Motoman to schedule a service appointment (or, if qualified, complete the maintenance themselves).

Motoman’s Customer Care Center is a web-based information and service center providing customers useful information, chat room functionality with technical support and web-based tutorials that provide step-by-step instructions. Need a tour? Call Dave Titcombe at 937.847.3361 or follow the link below to complete your registration and begin using the site!
https://ecommerce.motoman.com/opencms/customercare/motoman/index.html

Register Online for Motoman Training Classes
You can register for all Motoman training classes in the U.S. and Canada on-line through Motoman's web site.

Helpful Hints

360-Degree Pipe Welding with Synchronized Motion

Problem: We need to weld 360 degrees around individual pipes that are fixtured
(on-center) on a positioner (external axis) controlled by the robot controller using synchronized motion. What is the best way to ensure smooth welds?

Solution: When programming an on-center pipe to weld 360 degrees with synchronized motion, the robot maintains one position and orientation while the pipe rotates. To program this sequence, first cross-scribe the pipe (marking it in eight equal sections 45 degrees apart). Teach the first robot point for the start of the weld at the twelve o’clock position. Move the robot to the eleven o’clock position (or the one o’clock position depending on the direction of travel of the external axis). Generally, you will want to position the torch at a 45-degree angle with a 3-degree push. Record the point. Keeping the robot stationary, move the station axis (external axis), rotating the pipe 45 degrees (until the next scribe mark is at the 12 o’clock position). Record this next position and repeat the process, rotating the pipe 45 degrees each time until all eight positions are recorded. This synchronous motion method produces the best results on most pipes and also helps maintain a flat weld bead profile. It works with NX100, MRC or XRC controllers.

NOTE: If the pipe is off-center, the robot can be repositioned at points around the part and station moves (SMOVs) will coordinate motion between the robot and positioner. Station moves (SMOVC and SMOVL) can be used to program complex contours on a rotating part.

Trade Shows

Motoman products and services will be exhibited at the following trade shows and expositions in 2009. If you plan to attend these shows, please visit our booth:

ATX – February 10-12 – Anaheim, CA – Booth# M-1017
Robot & Vision – June 9-11 – Rosemont, IL – Booth# 1423
WeldMex – June 2-4 – Monterrey, Mexico
NPE – June 22-26 – Chicago, IL
AACC – July 21-23 – Chicago, IL
ATE – Sept. 22-24 – Rosemont, IL – Booth #644
PackExpo – October 5-7 – Las Vegas, NV – Booth# 3643
FabTech November 15-18 – Chicago, IL – Booth# 35065

If you’d like to see Motoman exhibit highlights for trade shows you might have missed this year, click here.

MOTOQUOTE PUZZLE

Decipher the following encrypted "MotoQuote" phrase (a puzzle in which one letter has been substituted for another) and e-mail the answer, along with your name, title, company name, company address, and work phone number to marykay.morel@motoman.com. On Thursday, February 12, we will draw a winner from eligible respondents who correctly solve the MotoQuote puzzle. The lucky winner will be sent his or her choice of a scale model of an EA1400N “Expert Arc” welding robot or ES165N “Expert Spot” welding robot OR an embroidered Motoman baseball cap.

The winner of the December 2008 MotoQuote drawing was Bob Kwiatkowski, Engineer, at Scott Rotary Seals in Hinsdale, New York. He chose to receive an embroidered Motoman baseball cap.

Clues: Our company’s name and some form of the word for our primary product appear somewhere in the encrypted puzzle phrase. If you need more help, T=E.

Encrypted MotoQuote Phrase:

XDKKDS-CZET HTNYDNSLEPT ZB SDNT PNZKZPLC KALE TFTN.

UTTH HNDOMPKZFZKR LEO JMLCZKR MH GZKA NTCZLXCT,
PDBK-TYYTPKZFT

SDKDSLE NDXDKB LEO PDSHCTKT LMKDSLKZDE BDCMKZDEB.