PERFECT
COLLABORATION

Force compliance tooling to give robots a human touch

CLARENCE/LINZ, 2021

Proven products that are combined with years of positive customer satisfaction, Dynabrade and FerRobotics have been cooperating in the field of compact system solutions for collaborative robots since 2020. Users benefit from comprehensive, quick-change (plug’n’play) tool sets with sensitive end-effector for automated sanding, grinding, deburring and polishing. They are able to close automation gaps and generate a necessary repeatability that is always combined with increased efficiency in industrial manufacturing processes. These flexible robotic power tools are defined as the market gold standard in industries world-wide such as aerospace, automotive, metal and woodworking, ship building and wind energy.

The pioneers of portable pneumatic abrasive power tools for surface preparation and finishing from Clarence (NY, USA) and the experts in sensitive robotic elements from Linz, Austria, combine their core competencies. Both world market leaders have outstanding process know-how for robotics material removal & finishing and offer the best of traditional worlds in a complete proven package. While Dynabrade, founded 1969, brings its leadership in the innovative design and manufacturing of unique portable abrasive air-powered tools to the joint applications, FerRobotics contributes the technological expertise of the sensitive robot flange with patented force/contact intelligence (Active Compliant Technology).

"The demand for automated grinding/finishing applications is steadily increasing," explains Ronald Veiders, Director of Marketing at Dynabrade. "Our customers increasingly want to integrate formerly manual operations with upstream and downstream processes such as sanding, grinding or polishing into their production line. Simple feasibility studies can be performed on-site at our Center of Excellence to optimize the abrasive process to achieve optimally matched surface results. In addition, Active Compliant Technology gives the cobot the sensitivity it needs to get it done with perfect results. Schedule a test with our experts at automation@dynabrade.com to get the proof."

Dynabrade has now decided to make the strategically important transition into the automation market and has added cobot applications to its portfolio as a second track alongside its core competence of manual tools. Walter Welsch, Dynabrade's founder, developed the first Dynafile® abrasive belt tool as a way to improve the task of grinding metals and other hard surfaces by hand, making the process faster and easier than ever before.

"Thanks to this innovative, entrepreneurial spirit, Dynabrade continues to thrive today. Now is the time to set the course for achievements to come. We have worked with innovative automation partners to ensure we can bring Dynabrade's decades of expertise to the 21st century by perfecting material removal and surface finishing with automated solutions that can replicate applications once done by hand. FerRobotics is the perfect partner in this endeavor. Together we have created a new era of a user-friendly, easy to operate cobot solution, that bring fast results with optimized cycle times. And the good thing about it: you don’t need expert skills to set it up," says Dave Roberts, Product Manager at Dynabrade Inc. and adds: "We know that robotic processes ensure consistent quality without manpower, 24 hours a day, all week long. That is why we had already considered making the leap into the world of automation. However, we lacked suitable partners who could understand our philosophy and the founding idea of manual, clean, reliable surface processing or who could implement it in a technically adequate way. The Active Compliant Technology from FerRobotics now creates the perfect basis to support our customers with the high-end automated material removal solutions that fit best for them."

In combination with Dynabrade's tools, FerRobotics' Active Contact Flange-Kit (a certified UR+ Component) offers a wide range of possibilities for different application areas. Whether it is a compact random orbital sander solution, belt sander or angle grinder for surface finishing and preparation. For grinding, polishing and deburring, users can choose between different end-of-arm tools for their individual task, which can also be quickly changed out during the running process.

"In the age of Industry 4.0, process optimization is more than just a "nice to have". Sanding, grinding, polishing, and deburring are the supreme disciplines in surface processing. Flexible, contact-intelligent automation solutions with cobots raise the time-consuming problem of manual work to a top Industry 4.0 standard. Our force-controlled and sensitive end-of-arm plug’n’play ACF-K package, in combination with Dynabrade Power Tools, solves this requirement in a sensible and economical way. And with a processing speed other competitors can’t compete with," added Michael Haas, VP of FerRobotics Inc.

"We all know that reliable robotics can fill labor shortage gaps. And with FerRobotics we have found the right technology partner for automated material removal and surface finishing. Accurate and economical like a machine - intelligent and sensitive like a human being - all of this is provided by the patented Active Compliant Technology from FerRobotics. Automated cobot processes are easy to set up, become more flexible, safer and more economical than ever before. With Active Compliant Technology, cobots adapt themselves to complex surfaces, keep the contact and force even with high speed – that all comes with real force control – the real force compliance," Veiders emphasizes. "The trusting cooperation of our combined technologies is the basis for our offering the give our joint customers the optimal solution." In the future, Dynabrade and FerRobotics will further expand their cooperation to make even greater use of synergies in the areas of sales and service.

The first kick-off event will be the UR Expo Series with the topic "Material Removal and Surface treatment" in the USA, where a keynote speech by Michael Haas (VP of FerRobotics Inc.) as well as a live demo will ensure all insights around the partnership and benefits gained by the new applications. Stay tuned and never stop grinding.

EXPERTS WORK TOGETHER

LIVE DEMO AT THE UR EXPO SERIES with Ivan and Lukas:

Recorded Version from June 22nd 2021 is still available!

Recorded Version from June 23rd 2021 is still available!

KEYNOTE with Michael:

Version from June 23rd is still available!

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