KUKA says new robot palletises faster than ever

Automation specialist KUKA says it has completely reworked its KR QUANTEC PA palletising robot, providing a significant improvement in cycle times.

The second-generation design includes optimised weight and centre of gravity as well as improved drive units, which build on the latest technology for gear units and motors.

As a result, the company claims it is up to 10% faster than its predecessor with a comparable payload. It also has a reduced footprint.

“With the second generation of the KR QUANTEC PA, we have achieved a perfect balance between axis velocity and acceleration — for the best cycle times,” said KUKA Product Manager Michael Laub. “For example, the robot type achieves 28.3 cycles per minute with a payload of 240 kg. Beyond this, we also worked to increase axis velocities — for example, for layer formation during palletising or long 180° rotations.”

To meet the increased requirements of the consumer goods industry, especially the food industry, KUKA also offers the palletising robot in a Hygienic Oil (HO) variant, which uses food-compatible NSF H1 lubricants in all axes and the energy supply system.

Standard KR QUANTEC PA models and their HO variants are designed for the latest KUKA KR C5 robot controller. The MTBF of the entire robot arm has also been improved significantly to 400,000 hours while maintenance effort has reduced by 50% compared to predecessor models, according to the company. With this new design, the robot only needs a visual inspection, lubrication of the counterbalancing system bearings and an oil change every 20,000 operating hours.

“A KR QUANTEC PA is a sustainable investment in the future of production,” Michael Laub said. “In conjunction with the KUKA.PalletTech technology package, the robot enables innovative cell concepts for palletising tasks, particularly for the consumer goods industry.”