Rise of the machines at Med-Tech Innovation

Mitsubishi Electric will demonstrate a new compact ‘Direct Teach Pendant’ for small robots and a quality improving pick-to-light system for manual assembly tasks at the expo in Coventry this year.

Famous for its efficient and reliable small articulated arm and SCARA robots, Mitsubishi Electric is now offering its latest development programming flexibility; a hand-held Direct Teach Pendant. It enables the operator to physically teach a standard, or clean room robot, movements and action sequences without a complex software interface.

The RV2 Robot Direct Teach function enables operators to quickly and easily vary the capacity, volumes and types of products being produced or tested by a robot, making it ideal for both medical and laboratory applications, says the firm.

From reliable robots to more consistent, error-free humans, Mitsubishi Electric will also be demonstrating its latest ‘Guided Operator Solutions’ system at the show. The system is dedicated to preventing mistakes in manual parts picking and assembly tasks and is enabling device manufacturers to actively improve their quality processes whilst also reducing operating costs.

To control picking sequences the system uses a combination of indicator lights, touch sensors, light curtains and door mechanisms that can be applied to parts bins. High resolution HMI screens are used to display assembly instructions and provide operator feedback, while PLC control allows for a scalable solution depending on the application’s complexity. The use of a PLC also allows for easy integration into existing automation and IT platforms, providing vital data for quality improvement and management systems. For the operator it makes each new assembly task far easier to complete quickly and accurately.

Both applications are designed to improve production processes and assembly tasks for the medical, pharmaceutical and life science industries. Visitors to the show will however be able to form their own opinions based on direct experience, as there will be an interactive display on the Mitsubishi Electric stand (54a) for people to have a go at teaching a robot, and see Guided Operator Solutions components in action.

Mitsubishi Electric will exhibit on stand 54A at Med-Tech Innovation Expo.