FANUC introduces robot with 1-tonne payload

FANUC has announced the introduction of a new large robot with a load capacity of 1000 kg.

The M-1000iA robot is capable of handling very heavy products including automotive components, construction materials and battery packs for electric vehicles.

The company said the M-1000iA’s serial-link construction gives the robot a wider range of motion in every direction. It can extend its arm upright or rotate it backwards, which is not possible for typical heavy-payload robots with a parallel-link mechanism. With a 1000 kg payload, a 3253 mm horizontal reach and a 4297 mm vertical reach, the M-1000iA is ready to go to work for manufacturers looking to increase output and maximise their production line’s efficiency, FANUC said.

“The new M-1000iA is FANUC’s largest serial-link robot to date,” said Eric Potter, general manager of FANUC America’s General Industries and Automotive Segment. “Customers that process very heavy parts need more versatility in the workspace, and this robot is a great solution for a variety of applications such as drilling and handling large automotive components, processing and handling battery packs for electric vehicles, fabrication and handling of construction materials, and much more.”

The strong wrist with high payload, moment and inertia, and the use of dual motors on the J2/J3 axis support heavy payloads at large offsets from the wrist and at full extension.

Powered by the FANUC R-30iB Plus Controller, the M-1000iA offers also includes the company’s integrated iRVision, force sensing and Zero Down Time (ZDT) IoT solution.

The M-1000iA is, however, not FANUC’s largest industrial robot. Claimed to be the largest payload robot on the market, the company’s M-2000 series robot is said to have a payload capacity of 2.3 t.