Iván Hernández Dalas: How offline programming reduces machining automation deployment times
Simulation and offline programming capabilities extend beyond machining to include tasks like assembly, finishing, and welding. This screenshot of RoboDK software shows a simulation designed to ensure fast and safe programming and deployment of an advanced assembly application. Credit: RoboDK Robotic machining has grown in popularity in recent years, driven by lower robot costs and increased flexibility. Compared with large CNC machines, industrial robots are relatively inexpensive, easy to move around, and can be redeployed on multiple applications. CNC machines are the gold standard for accuracy-critical sectors such as aerospace because they are so predictable. However, for companies interested in high-mix/low-volume batches and those operating in sectors not subject to stringent aerospace requirements, CNC machines can be an over-engineered solution. For materials like wood, foam, plastics, aluminum, and increasingly even hard materials , robots offer a significantly lower-c...