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Collaborative robot arms are not as precise or rugged as their industrial cousins, according to the conventional wisdom. Epson Robots today addressed that challenge with its new C-B series six-axis robots, which use the RC700E controller and integrated SafeSense technology.

The Los Alamitos, Calif.-based company said the C4B, C4LB, C8LB, C8XLB, and C12XLB models are designed for precision, flexibility, and efficiency to ensure performance in a range of industrial environments.

“To meet the most demanding needs of high-tech automation users, we have expanded the innovative features from the top-of-the-line GX-Series SCARA robots to the top-of-the-line C Series six-axis robots,” stated Scott Marsic, group product manager at Epson Robots.

“The new C-B Series addresses a wide range of automation and workplace safety needs while underscoring Epson’s commitment to advance industrial automation with cutting-edge solutions that optimize performance and reliability across diverse manufacturing environments,” he added.

Epson Robots, which claimed to be the No. 1 SCARA robot manufacturer in the world, said it applied four decades of experience to the C-B series. The unit of Epson Group said it has sold more than 150,000 robots for assembly and materials handling applications based on a common PC-based platform.

SafeSense supports ‘industrial collaborative workcells’

SafeSense Technology enables the new robots to work at speed until a human worker approaches. Epson Robots said this allows for increased productivity and worker safety while reducing the need for physical safety barriers and thus lowering the system’s overall footprint and cost.

“There’s usually a tradeoff — performance equals speed plus payload plus precision plus user interaction,” explained James Shimano, a product manager at Epson. “If you want high levels of interaction, such as with power and force-limited cobots, you lose precise parts placement and cycle times. By contrast, industrial robots require physical barriers.”

“With SafeSense, we have sensors for speed and separation,” he explained. “If there’s no user around, the robot can operate at full speed. When a user approaches, it has limited speed but full travel. If a user interacts, the robot has limited speed and travel.”

SafeSense works with pressure mats, light curtains, or lidar sensors, Shimano told The Robot Report.

“It’s like boxing. If you’re in the ring, it’s a soft hit,” he added. “If you’re out of the ring, it’s like industrial robots, and if you dodge, that’s SafeSense.”

The RC700E controller allows for safer human-robot interaction through safety-rated speed and position monitoring, combined with a proper risk analysis.

In addition, the combination of SafeSense with the “no-code” Epson RC+ Express software enables “industrial collaborative workcells” for repeatability, said the company. SafeSense provides a new set of tools for workcells and can be tuned by application, said Shimano.

The CB series is TUV-certified to meet ISO 10218-1 and UL1740 safety standards.

Epson RC+ to help users solve workcell problems

“We’re not just robot manufacturers; we make robots to use them ourselves,” Shimano noted. “Our main business is consumer products such as printers, watches, scanners, and projectors. We understand real-life workcell problems.”

The Epson RC+ development software offers a simple user interface, an integrated debugger, and a built-in 3D simulator. Users can go from “no-code” environments to full coding language, noted Shimano.

Epson RC+ does not have a recurring license fee. Along with battery-less encoders, this means a low total cost of ownership (TCO), said Epson.

The new robots also come with advanced options, including vision guidance, parts feeding, force guidance, conveyor tracking, and fieldbus. The OPC Unified Architecture (UA) provides advanced connectivity for next-level integration and monitoring, making the C-B series ready for Industry 4.0, according to the company.

“Rather than integrating a separate camera, vision software, and robot from three different vendors, Epson is a single source, and our products are rated to work together,” said Shimano. “When we talk with customers, we ask, ‘What’s your ultimate goal?’

“Our concept of the industrial collaborative workcell is between the extremes of cobots and industrial automation,” Shimano said. “Six-axis robots can do complex motions, like assembly tasks where speed, precision, and orientation are important.”

C-B features offer precision and speed

The C-B series offers multiple arm configurations, performance with payloads up to 12 kg (26.4 lb.), and high throughput for demanding tasks, said Epson Robots.

The company touted its compact “SlimLine” design, such as a compact wrist pitch for accessing hard-to-reach areas in confined spaces. Epson offers tabletop and ceiling mounting options with 600 and 900 mm (23.6 to 35.4 in.) reaches available for the C4B and C4LB models.

The C8LB and C8XLB models have 900 and 1,400 mm (55.1 in.) reaches, and the C12XLB has a 1,400 mm reach.

The proprietary Epson GYROPLUS reduces vibrations, supporting high acceleration, smooth motion control, and fast settling times for fast cycle times. It also helps the new robots avoid ringing or overshooting for precise operations within specifications.

“GYROPLUS suppresses inaccurate trajectories, reducing cycle times,” said Shimano. “This technology was important in our SCARA line, but in six-axis robots, it’s usually addressed by adding mass and stiffness. With the sensor-oriented GYROPLUS, we can make the robot lighter.”

Standard, cleanroom (ISO32)/ESD (electrostatic discharge), and protected IP67 models are available.

“The line between industrial and collaborative robots is starting to blur,” acknowledged Shimano, whose father is robotics pioneer Bruce Shimano. “Now, we can get the best of both worlds. We’ve been waiting for the democratization of robotics since the 1980s, but instead of having one solution fits all, we’re having conversations with end users.”

The C-B series robots are now available through Epson Robots’ distributor partners.