Many machining companies know that there are many solutions for loading and unloading machine tools, including articulated robots and gantry-type loading/unloading manipulators. So what are the differences between the two in application? How do we judge them? We will provide a simple comparative analysis of gantry-type manipulators and articulated industrial robots from four main aspects: application layout, human-machine management, efficiency, and cost.
1. Layout
Gantry robots are typically mounted above machine tools, have a simple trajectory, and occupy a small area. Articulated robots are generally arranged in a 1:2 or 1:3 (triangular) configuration. To ensure safety, the entire processing unit needs comprehensive protection. Inverted walking robots are rarely used in practice due to their high cost, complex system, and low stability, so we will not discuss them in detail.
2. Human-machine collaboration
On a gantry robot production line, workers can monitor the processing, troubleshoot problems quickly, spot checks are convenient, and human-machine collaboration is good.
Due to the unpredictable movement trajectory of articulated robots, the production unit is completely enclosed and workers cannot participate in the actual production process. During the production process, a series of monitoring and management are carried out on the material silos, production equipment and robots in the unit. The system is huge, complex and costly.
3. Efficiency (Uptime)
"Uptime" is an industry standard for measuring stable equipment production. Introducing robots for automated loading and unloading places higher demands on the stability of raw material quality, tool quality, and lifespan management during actual production. Articulated robots handle loading and unloading. The entire production process is unmanned. Tool management, including pinpointing which tool is used for which dimension, whether tool replacement is needed, and the replacement size, can only be estimated by measuring the output product dimensions. If several tools are involved in this dimension, production management becomes significantly more challenging, requiring a high level of system integration. Gantry robots, due to their better human-machine collaboration, can achieve sampling inspection and tool replacement with low barriers to entry.
4. Cost aspect
The unit price and management and maintenance costs of gantry robots are generally lower than those of articulated industrial robots. In particular, the price of multi-unit gantry robots is much cheaper than that of articulated robots, and the maintenance and management costs are also lower.
Through the above simple comparison, it is evident that although vertical multi-joint robots possess advantages such as 3D spatial posture, high positioning accuracy, and ease of operation, leading to their widespread application in casting, material handling, welding, and system integration, they are ultimately defeated by gantry robots—a simpler, less efficient, and less efficient tool—in the relatively straightforward material handling industry of machine tool loading and unloading. When transforming machine tool automated production lines, choosing the most suitable option is paramount. The simplicity of gantry robots, coupled with human involvement in monitoring the production process, allows for a gradual replacement of unmanned operations. This approach is more suitable for the existing production management methods of local enterprises and is more practical and feasible.
