AFFORDABLE ROBOTS OUT IN FORCE

Robots from FANUC Robotics will be out in force at this year's PPMA Exhibition, being demonstrated by FANUC Robotics UK on stand B65 and also by several of its strategic partners. Besides demonstrating the many benefits of FANUC robots for the packaging sector, the underlying theme focuses on affordability.

A quirky demonstration of the FANUC LR Mate's ability to count one pound coins has a serious side to it. The robot uses a vision system to locate randomly placed coins and place them into a piggy bank while counting them in the process. Relative to increases in operational costs, FANUC is keen to point out that robots have decreased in price over the past 20 years, making them highly affordable.

With high duty cycle FANUC Robotics robots available from £16K - £17K, one year returns on investment (ROI) begin to look realistic; even more so when three shifted.

PPMA will see a complete crosssection of FANUC Robotics robots being demonstrated including the M-3ia and M-1ia delta arm robots for high speed pick and place tasks, the small high speed LR Mate robot and palletising robots for handling payloads up to 700kg.

FANUC's Strategic Partners focus on specific areas of automated packing and handling using FANUC Robotics robots - exhibiting and demonstrating will be Pacepacker Services, Abar Automation and New from packaging solutions Smurfit Kappa Machine Systems.