A painting robot is built with explosion proof robot arms that can safely spray coating that could create combustible gasses. The robots also have self-contained paint systems that control all aspects of spray parameters like atomization air, fan air, voltage and fluid flow.
Robotic Painting Process
Painting robots increase the finishing quality, consistency and throughput while lowering the operating costs and decreasing wasted material during painting. The painting and coating process consists of the following:
- Part Fabrication: Before the part is painted, it is often fabricated in a separate plant or in another area of the plant.
- Part Preparation: Painting requires parts to be prepared and cleaned as well as finishing the part in a sanding, buffing or polishing process.
- Part Presentation: For industrial robots, operations parts are presented in a batch tote, bin or on a flat conveyor and robots are able to pick them up precisely and consistently.
- Paint performance Testing: The use of industrial robots provides greater flexibility and establish realistic outcomes for painting and coating.
- Curing: This process of curing takes place after coating has been applied and it is done over time by applying heat or by using ultraviolet lamps.
- Part Handling: Material handling robots are able to move parts to the next process after the coat has been cured.
- Vision Inspection: Machine vision is used to detect paint faults in the final product.
Types of Painting Robots
The modern Industrial robots come in different designs in order to accomplish specific roles and automate tedious and harmful tasks involved in painting. The following are some of the types of the painting robots:
- General Painting and Spray Operations: The robots are able to perform general painting and spraying onto a wide range of materials including plastic surfaces, metallic, wooden and the glassing of sanitary items.
- Vertical Lines: These paint robots have been designed for coating on any type of object which may be large in size or have a complex shape. The industrial robots are able to adjust speed or automatically stop the Load when necessary.
- 3-Dimensional Painting: 3D painting implement a highly sophisticated software for automatically generating spraying trajectories even on pieces of different shapes and sizes.
- Overhead or Floor Painting: Industrial robots are fitted with a standard version of up to six degrees of painting to ensure they are suitable for painting using overhead or floor painting.
Benefits of Robotic Painting
Industrial Robots have long been used to replace human workers especially in the automotive paint applications by carrying out high a high degree of risk. The following are the benefits of using robots in industrial.
- Protect Human workers: The advantage of the current industrial robots is that they are able to work effectively and collaboratively with the human workers and significantly reduce their risk of injury or illness. The robotic arms are also able to survive explosions.
- Customize automation: By using anti-collision software the industrial robots are able to work in close proximity and limited space without them crashing into each other or even needing repair.
- Access and Paint More parts: Industrial robots are designed and programmed to recognize the edges of equipment so that they can apply an even spray without wasting paint with less time compared to human workers.
- Save Floor Space: Small industrial robots have slim robotic arms that can be installed on a shelf, rail or on a wall which enables them fit in limited factory spaces.
- Apply Paint Evenly: Industrial robots are able to paint parts and equipment evenly with the right amount of paint and without leaving behind drips or other imperfections.
Conclusion
Robots are revolutionizing our way of living from having self-driving cars to robots that can keep you company while you self-isolate like the Anki Vector Robot. Painting has also not been left behind and the industrial robots are now here with us to improve the quality of spraying and reduce paint waste.
