With the RS 05-2, Hermle presents the 2nd generation of its compact robot system

Since the first compact robot system was developed by Systemtechnik GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Maschinenfabrik Berthold Hermle AG, customer expectations and the multiplicity of the applications have increased enormously. Not only that the RS 05 robot system should be compatible with a broader range of machine models – the requests for individual storage solutions have consistently driven the system's further development. Many different installations bear witness to successful automation solutions in the range of workpieces up to 10 kg.

The second generation of the RS 05 can now be adapted frontally (C 250, C 400 und C 32) or laterally (C 12 and C 22) to the Hermle machining centres. With a footprint of roughly 2 m², the robot system is extremely compact. The system can be equipped with a huge variety of different storage modules according to requirements: as a system with a single die, a storage unit with five telescopic drawers and die storage, a pallet storage unit – or as a Kanban system. Modularity is the watchword. Both the working area as well as the storage unit can be accessed for manual setting up and checking work, whereby ease of access has been given special priority. The robot can deploy blanks / workpieces and also pallets weighing up to 10 kg. It is also used to move dies to and from the various storage units by means of a push-pull system adapted to the gripper for extracting and reinserting dies. The robot can be equipped with either a single or double gripper and also comes with an additional blow-off unit for cleaning the clamping device.

With the Hermle Automation-Control-System (HACS), Hermle now provides its own automation software. HACS has already been employed successfully for some time for Hermle pallet changing and handling systems as well as robot systems.

 An additional swivelling control panel has been adapted to the setup station. The user interface – easily and intuitively usable via drag and drop – makes day-to-day production tasks easier. The operator has an overview of relevant tasks at all times. This ensures the most failure-free production possible. The clear structure and simple layout of the system help to prevent errors. HACS is fully integrated into its work environment. The software is intuitive to operate and all relevant data can be seen at a glance on the setup station and at the control panel. System overviews, work sequence plans, pallets, sequence plan, tasks and tool table. All workpieces are automatically ranked in the sequence plan as soon as they are set up. Orders can be prioritized at any time to determine the order of machining operations.

 A wide variety of workpiece blanks are positioned on the dies in a space-saving way using graphical robot programming and simple input values, or GRP for short. Also, the robot sequences and placement of the workpieces in the respective machine clamping device can be implemented for specific tasks very quickly with the aid of the GRP that is integrated into the touch-sensitive SmartPad.