World of Industry Part II is one of the main industrial events in Turkey. With more than 75,000 visitors, the show is one of the most best attended in the country. Four separate, yet related, trade shows – Materials Handling, Hydraulic and Pneumatic, Electrotech and Automation – make up the entire event, which has 643 exhibitors and 574 co-exhibitors.

Exhibited are everything from electrical energy generation system, laser treatment machinery, industrial lighting tools and hydraulic equipments, to lubrication systems, gears, motors and cables, transformers and automation services. The show is held concurrently with the popular Industrial Activities Summit and is a global affair in itself, with representatives from 71 countries. A total of 24985 square meters of exhibition space is taken up by the show.

TM Robotics and its Turkish partner Entek will be showing SCARA, Cartesian and Six-Axis Robots from Toshiba Machine. Readers of this newsletter might recall that Entek has already completed some interesting applications in Turkey – including the integration of Toshiba Machine TV800 Robots in new training cells sold to six technical colleges in Turkey.

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IREX Exhibition 2011, Tokyo, Japan

Toshiba Machine enjoyed a very successful participation at the IREX 2011 robotics exhibition in Tokyo. Given the global gloom, there were an encouragingly large number of visits from several of TM Robotics’ European partners including Entek / Turkey, Tiesse Robot / Italy, Arc Technology / France, EEP / Austria and FAM / Russia. These lead to some extremely constructive meetings about new product opportunities, emerging markets and new developments.

The event also saw the launch of the new Toshiba Machine THL, a low cost SCARA robot. More details will be forthcoming in the next issue of our newsletter. There was also the first viewing of the new high speed THP700 together with a new Cartesian robot range. The THP700 is fully available whereas details of the new Cartesian and THL SCARA models will be released early in 2012. As described elsewhere in this edition of the newsletter, there have been some very useful design additions and new protection options for the Toshiba Machine TV series of 6-axis robots.

The IREX is the world’s largest robotics event with over 250 exhibiting companies and organisations displaying from over 850 stands.

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Arctec, TM Robotics’ South African partner,

Arctec, TM Robotics’ South African partner, showed off the packaging skills of the TH1050A working with conveyor tracking and vision systems at the recent Propak show – the African International Packaging and Plastics exhibition incorporating FOODPRO the Food Processing Equipment Expo. The event was staged at the impressive Cape Town International Convention Centre.

Using Toshiba Machine robots Arctec demonstrated part of its full turnkey offering for end of line packing systems. The company has also recently installed several Toshiba Machine SR-1504HZ palletizing robots together with a number of TH1050A models. http://www.arctec.co.za/

Arctec, TM Robotics’ South African partner

Arctec provides systems for the print, finishing and packaging industries. These include complete automation solutions for packaging production. The company has highly trained staff to complement its excellent products. One competitive advantage is that Arctec provides end-to-end systems using international suppliers that are distinguished in their areas of expertise.

The company offers a complete range of Toshiba Machine robots, including Scara, 6-axis and Cartesian types.

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TV 1000 Industrial Robot

A number of new features of the Toshiba Machine TV800 and TV1000 6-axis robots were unveiled at the recent IREX exhibition hosted in Tokyo, Japan.

New design additions include an increased payload capacity of 10kgs, as well as IP65 and also IP67 protection for the wrist. Toshiba Machine demonstrated these features at the exhibition by having a TV1000 machine dipping into water in what must be an ultimate “wet” application!

The easy to use TV1000 has a total arm length of 1000mm, a reach of 1090mm and a composite maximum speed of 9.61 metres per second. It has a maximum cycle time of 0.6 to 0.7 seconds, repeatability of ±0.03mm and an optional maximum payload of 10 kilograms. It is controlled using Toshiba Machine’s new TS3100 controller, which is programmed in SCOL, a language similar to BASIC – as are all Toshiba Machine industrial robots.

The TS3100 features a built-in Ethernet port, making conveyor and vision synchronisation simple. The controller also includes the built-in TCmini PLC, which allows control of I/O equipment, regardless of operation and program.

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TM Robotics has a new partner in Turkey - Entek

TM Robotics has a new partner in Turkey. Entek is a well established general automation specialist with a number of facets to its business including the design and development of automation cells and turnkey solutions.

The company has already showed its metal in the integration of Toshiba Machine robots having created a new training cell using Toshiba Machine TV800 models. The cells have already been sold to six technical colleges in Turkey.

TM Robotics has a new partner in Turkey. Entek

The Ministry of Education in Turkey asked Entek to design and supply a robotics training system for six technical high schools for the training facilities of the industrial automation departments. The objective is to train 15-19 year old students for real industry with set-up, diagnosis, maintenance and programming skills.Entek’s solution includes training materials such as the teaching and exercise manuals as well as software.

As part of the training exercises the robot is programmed by the students to pick and place different shapes of materials and also to tighten the screws of a metal base. They program the software and also use the teaching panel to position the robot and they can also try solve real industrial problems.

The TV800 six-axis anthropomorphic robot has a total arm length of 800mm, a reach of 892mm and a maximum payload of 5kg. The composite maximum speed is 8.06m/s and repeatability is +/-0.02mm.
The robot from Toshiba Machine was the optimum answer to train the students within industry standards.

Entek assembled the robot on top of a profile based training table versatile and easy to move with a electrical control panel attached under the table. The control panel has a Siemens S7-1200 PLC to control the system and industrial electrical components to run the system.

The robot has two modules for the hand actions, a pneumatic gripper and a screwdriver.

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TM Robotics in association with its Italian partner Tiesse Robot puts a TH450 SCARA Robot with conveyor tracking and Tiesse’s own vision system design through their paces at the premier Italian automation show in Milan. Tiesse Robot has sold and supported Toshiba / Toshiba Machine robots since 1990 and has enjoyed great success in their applications and has sold more than 1,000 of our SCARA Robots during this time.

IPACK-IMA 2012 is a benchmark event for processing, packaging and materials handling. It is also a meeting place for nine industries including: grain-based food, dairy products, beverage, confectionery, vegetables and fruit, fresh and convenience food, health and personal care, chemicals – industrial and home, as well as industrial and durable goods.

IPACK-IMA presents a collection of integrated, innovative and sustainable manufacturing offers thanks to the exhaustive nature of the exhibits on display, which this year includes, a new package printing area.

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TM Robotics’ partner in Poland, Kontech, has enjoyed great success in the past few years and the Polish marketplace has been one that has taken up SCARA robots in particular. At this year’s AUTOMATICON exhibition, Toshiba Machine THL Series and TV800 Robots will be demonstrated. The low mass, low cost THL is already proving a popular machine around the world, so its’ Polish debut is eagerly awaited.

The TV800 6-axis robot remains a model that many are yet to become familiar with. It has an arm length of 800mm, a reach of 92mm and a composite maximum speed of 8.06 m/sec. The robot has a maximum cycle time of 0.4 to 0.5 seconds, repeatability of ±0.02mm and a maximum payload of 5kg.

AUTOMATICON is the most important trade fair for automation, control, measurement and robotics in Poland. The event’s mission is to promote new technology for industry. The show has been running for 17 years and is always accompanied by series of seminars, lectures and presentations which attract hundreds of specialists from all over the country.

More than 10.000 visitors attend the Fair every year and all of them are from wide range of industries, in Poland and in neighbouring countries.

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TM Robotics is again participating at the Anuga FoodTech in collaboration with the Robotik-Pack-Line. We will be showing the THP550 SCARA Robot working together with a Toshiba Machine Cartesian Robot on the booth in addition to a TH650A and TH850A palletising and packing within the demonstration area of the Robotik-Pack-Line. The Robotik-Pack-Line gives the perfect demonstration of how the company’s robots can integrate with any other make or type of equipment.

Anuga FoodTec 2012 once again expected to attract more than 1,200 exhibiting companies from about 40 countries.

The event offers the international food business a source of information while providing a purchasing platform covering technology for production in all food and beverage industries.

The event’s concept means it is independent of any one sector, raw ingredients or sub-processes. Anuga FoodTec enables small and medium-sized enterprises to meet top international decision-makers from the food and beverage industries. Indeed, 81% of visitors stated in 2009 that they had sole or shared responsibility for making procurement decisions at their companies.

Another visitor survey revealed that 77% of trade visitors were managers or technical decision-makers at their companies. Unusually for a German exhibition, Anuga FoodTec attracts 45% of its visitors from outside Germany.

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Industrie Paris 2012 focuses on four major manufacturing sectors: medical, aerospace, energy and automotive manufacturing.

For this important French event TM Robotics is partnering with its French agent Arc Technology and will be promoting the new Toshiba Machine Low Cost THL SCARA Robots. These new machines have up to 50% lower mass than previous models and this factor translates into a reduction in power consumption of up to half as well. Performance is not compromised however, and the THL is suitable for most applications.

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The tenth Toshiba Machine Group Solution Fair takes place from 17 – 19 May this year. Its theme is “Expansive Innovations for Expanding Markets” and brings together a demonstration of the comprehensive manufacturing capabilities of the company.

Exhibited during the three day event will be injection moulding machines; diecasting machines; plastics extrusion machines; micro pattern imprinting machines; machine tools; robots; control systems; hydraulic equipment; casting and machining processes; retrofit and after sales services; and collaborative system engineering applications.

Robots take a major role in this year’s event. Demonstrations of challenging real life applications will show how Toshiba Machine’s SCARA, Cartesian and six-axis models can be integrated within manufacturing cells and production line arrangements.

A six axis robot, for example, is configured assembling amplifier boards for the manufacturing of TV components. The cell has product transfer, thread fastening, flux application and soldering operations and involves gripper/hand exchanges via a tool changer. Two types of work pieces are handled, highlighting the ability to simultaneously cope with varying operations.

Demonstrating rapid pick and place applications, the latest Toshiba Machine THL lightweight, low cost, low energy SCARA robots are demonstrated transferring table tennis balls across five trays with both breakneck speed and high precision. One might think that table tennis balls offer little technical challenge in a pick and place demonstration, but it must be remembered that not only do they have a tendency to bounce, but also the wafer thin walls can be easily damaged by grippers.

There is one fun demonstration involving Toshiba Machine BA series Cartesian robots, which has a model railway crossing arrangement. When the train approaches the crossing, a rotating warning light turns on while cars and people move back and the crossing gates close. When the train passes the crossing, the crossing gates open, the rotating warning light turns off as the cars and people move forward.

On a more serious note, there is a demonstration of a torque control function using the rod-type small BA-C series Cartesian coordinate robot. A thrust force transducer on the tool point shows the force exerted in compressing a spring to varying degrees by changing the torque limit.
Another Cartesian demonstration will find favour in medical and laboratory applications. Test tubes are removed by one robot from a bench and transferred to a rotary table. A second robot performs a dispensing operation and then a third robot performs a testing operation for the test tubes on the rotary table. Once testing is completed, the test tubes are transferred by the first robot to a second bench.

Coupled with the extensive exhibits will be trips to Toshiba Machine factories, which is a fascinating experience and which on their own are worth the visit to the Fair.

If you are interested in visiting the Toshiba Machine Solution Fair then please contact Nigel Smith (nigel@tmrobotics.co.uk) who will liaise with you and the Solution Fair Logistics Team in Japan so as to maximise your visit and assist with travel arrangements if necessary.

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