Since the pandemic, although the global economic situation has been gloomy, many business owners have started to place high importance on intelligent manufacturing as domestic conditions gradually return to normal work and production.
This has led to an annual increase in market demand for automated production with Yaskawa stamping robots, Yaskawa welding robots, and Yaskawa palletizing and handling robots.
Based on my observations, our company’s technical department frequently receives requests from large-scale stamping part manufacturers for workshop renovations or overall production line planning. Most clients show great interest in Yaskawa stamping robot products.
Considering business owners are eager to understand the return on investment, they wish to know the purchase price of the Yaskawa stamping robot immediately.
However, since the Yaskawa stamping robot is an integrated application for customizing an automated stamping production line, it’s difficult for us as robot integrators to provide a direct quote without fully understanding the client’s actual needs.
Therefore, I have specifically compiled some key factors determining the price of a stamping robot, hoping to answer the queries of our new and old customers.
I. Punch Press Specifications and On-Site Layout Diagram
At present, most domestic clients are updating their older press workshops, with new punch presses already purchased and installed. The layout of the workshop has been completed and, in some cases, the machine tools are so embedded in the foundation that they cannot be moved.
The addition of pressing robots can only be accommodated within the existing fixed positions.
Therefore, before proposing an initial solution, clients need to provide the specifications of the punch press, on-site layout diagram, the dimensions of the table between the presses, as well as the available dimensions in front and behind the press.
This step requires technicians from smart equipment companies to measure on-site in the actual workshop.
For remote locations, video and photo documentation will also be necessary as the project planning process will inevitably require on-site surveying.
Furthermore, the specifications of the press can affect many technical factors. For example, older gear-type presses cannot extract signals and need to be outfitted with sensors to extract signals from the dead center of the press, the robotic arm’s material retrieval signal, the execution signal of the press, and safety signals (safety grating, safety range) to facilitate signal exchange between the punch press and the press robot.
If a production line is being planned from scratch, and the company needs to purchase a punch press, the main considerations should be the tonnage of the press and the technical parameters of the table size. Therefore, the price of a Yaskawa punch press robot is also subject to these factors.
II. Specifications of Stamped Components
The core function of a stamping robot is to facilitate the transfer of workpieces between operations, playing a crucial role in loading and unloading the press. The weight of the stamped components will influence the load capacity of the chosen stamping robot.
Different workpieces will have varying weights, leading to diverse load specifications for the stamping robot and subsequently affecting its price.
Moreover, to maximize return on investment, a robotic stamping production line needs to accommodate the automated application of multiple products. Therefore, it is necessary to collate and integrate the requirements of multiple products.
III. Stamping Molds
In many clients’ existing equipment, the task of retrofitting molds is substantial. Initially, it’s essential to understand the open height of the mold at the dead point on the press, the height at which the lower mold guide post protrudes above the lower mold surface, the height at which the upper mold guide post protrudes above the upper mold surface, and the height from the lower mold surface to the ground.
If these dimensions do not impede the stamping robot’s material retrieval, no changes are necessary. Furthermore, there are many arrangements of outer guide posts on the mold, including central type on both sides, four-pillar type, rear-set pillar type, and diagonal pillar type.
The specific dimensions require on-site inspection. Direct efficiency improvements and cost reductions in equipment investment can be achieved depending on the optimization space of different stamping component production processes, such as merging several operations into one.
IV. Processing Steps of Stamped Product Parts
There are numerous processing steps involved with the parts of stamped products, which can impact the transformation of the entire stamping automation production line. This determines the number of Yaskawa stamping robots required, with each step needing to accomplish different and varying complexities of actions.
Some actions might be beyond the capabilities of a four-axis robotic arm, necessitating the use of Yaskawa stamping robots to perform these intricate tasks. Customized robotic equipment may be needed in some instances, thus the processing steps dictate the scale and cost of the entire punch press automation production line.
Special reminder: If it is only necessary to satisfy the load of the robotic arm within the standard mechanical arm length, it can be selected. If customization of the arm length is required, it must be calculated, theoretically, the longer the arm, the lighter the load it can bear.
The material, shape, and size dimensions of the stamped product parts can influence the type of suction cup or fixture to be used and the configuration of the air path. Therefore, customers need to provide the drawings of the stamped products.
V. Conclusion
In summary: The factors affecting the price of Yaskawa stamping robots primarily include the configuration of the equipment, speed, and precision. Customers need to examine the comprehensive abilities of similar robot integrators from multiple angles, rather than simply comparing singular factors like the price of a single stamping robot.
The core technology lies in the integrated application capabilities of the entire stamping automation production line system.
