AUTOMATION & PAINT ROBOTS
How to decide when it's time to
upgrade or replace your robot
Imagine you are a
Formula One racing
team owner who has
just developed the
world’s best racing car.
Elated from winning everything going, you decide
not to make any changes, continuing to field the
same vehicle, race after race, year after year.
Pretty soon, your team starts to slip down the
finishing order, as the technology used by other
teams not only catches up, but overtakes yours.
Plugged full of the
latest technology,
your car wins every
race during its first
few years, establishing
your team as the
outright leader.
Although robotic technology moves at a much
slower pace than Formula One racing, the same
basic principle applies. While the number of
industrial robots being deployed in the UK is
increasing, over half of those currently installed
may well be reaching the end of their useful
serviceable lives.
In the last 10 years, there have been remarkable
advances in the accuracy, speed, intelligence
and reliability of robotic
automation. As technology
moves on, the sourcing of
older components needed for
an old robot can become
increasingly difficult and
expensive, until eventual
obsolescence makes it
virtually impossible for an
older robot to remain in
reliable working order.
requirements relating to uptime and reliability
and the budget available.
Refurbish or replace?
Refurbishment offers a cheaper option to
replacing a robot altogether, with your robot able
to be returned to a ‘like-new’ condition. Where
this option is chosen, it is advisable to use the
manufacturer that supplied the robot in the first
place as they will be best placed to have the
necessary original parts and spares needed to
carry out the refurbishment.
Of course, you only have to look at the
example of the iPhone to see how yesterday’s
state of the art gadget can quickly become
outdated. Originally launched in 2007, the
iPhone is already in its fifth incarnation, with
capabilities far exceeding those of the original
model. The same is true of robots.
The current generation of controllers, software
and accessories such as vision and gripping
systems are far in advance of their forbears, such
that it may eventually be both more practical and
less costly in the long term to opt for a new model
rather than refurbishing an existing one or buying
second hand.
Taking the risk by purchasing
components from sources
other than the robots’ original
manufac-turer or using spares
from decommissioned units
can be a liability to the
production line. The quality
of the products can be
compromised as well as the
efficiency and the safety of
the robot. Particularly for
just-in-time applications,
the unexpected failure of
a component can cause
expensive and potentially
catastrophic downtime.
Keeping pace therefore
means choosing between
either replacing or
refurbishing your robot.
There are a number of
factors that can determine
this choice, including the
nature of your application
together with any
40
May 2014
Without a doubt, robots are the answer to staying
ahead in today’s manufacturing race. In choosing
whether to refurbish or replace your robot, the
only question is how much you want to open up
the gap between yourself and your competitors.
Open until 30th October 2014, the scheme is
part of ABB’s drive to encourage the greater
take-up of modern robotic automation in the
UK manufacturing sector.
ABB has launched a new swappage scheme to
promote greater use of the latest robotic
automation technology amongst UK
manufacturers.
Subject to the payload of the robot, the Robot
Swappage Scheme entitles operators to a
discount of up to £4,000* on the purchase
cost of a new ABB robot when they trade in an
existing robot from any manufacturer installed
12 or more years ago.
Formoreinformation,email
[email protected]ref.‘Swappage’
read online @ www.surfaceworld.com