Application | Compact Robots

operating voltage is the same, there is no leeway for thinner insulation there. The insulation material is also a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), as is the case for many other cables for robotics. The secret of a highly mobile servo cable also lies in its filling material — components that do not have any electrical function. The cable contains nylon threads that are weaved into the bunch and hold the conductors in place, even if the cable is twisted or bent. This prevents the individual conductors from rubbing together and thus wearing out the insulation material. Another measure to increase the cables’ lifespan is to wrap banding made from slippery non-woven plastic around the conductors to further reduce the friction and extend durability. WITH UL CERTIFICATION ON REQUEST The most amount of material can be saved on the cable. However, its electrical and mechanical characteristics must not suffer as a result. What’s more, LAPP can supply Comau with cables with UL certification for use in the North American market, which has more stringent standards for fire behavior and chemical resistance than in Europe. “Thinner jacket but better fire behavior – that can only be achieved with a truly high-end material,” said Frank Rothermund, Robotics Market Manager at LAPP in Stuttgart. Despite all of the progress, there is still room for more, states Rothermund. Comau will continue to challenge LAPP, who is very well- equipped for this thanks to a special feature that is unique worldwide in the cable industry: prototype production for robot cables. While competitors only produce cable prototypes in thousands of feet, LAPP offers sample production from only 300 feet. Such trials of new cables are necessary to test their characteristics. The samples are tested at LAPP facilities and again at the user’s premises in realistic tests for their bending and torsional durability, as occur in robots. From this it can be concluded how long the cable will last in real usage. Comau took advantage of that testing capability for their Racer robot. Buyers can thus be sure that their Racer will provide years of service without breakdowns – a true endurance racer amongst robots.

A SLAM DUNK Visitors to LAPP’s booth at Hannover Messe 2016 were treated to an impactful demonstration of what the Racer is capable of. The Racer 7 threw one basketball after the other precisely into a basket and out-did all the visitors that had the courage to face off against it. Only on the market for a few years, the Racer 7 model has a 7 kg (15.5 lb) load-bearing capacity. Since then, Comau has launched the Racer 3 and Racer 5 with 3 and 5 kg load-bearing capacities, respectively.

The Comau Racer 7 wows audiences at Hannover Messe.

www.lappusa.com www.lappcanada.com

LAPP 29 Hanover Road, Florham Park, NJ 07932 T. 800 774 3539