A robotic island, made up of two edgers and two anthropomorphic robots: this is the cutting edge design – unique in the world – that Elettromeccanica Bovone introduced at Glasstec. The same concept will be on display at GlassBuild America, but in a slightly more streamlined version.
Integration with existing systems
The basic innovation in this idea from Bovone is the successful integration created between existing robots available on the market and the company’s own grinding machines, to create a solution – the robotic island – that automates a key phase in processing large-sized glass sheets and, as a result, increases the level of safety in the workplace because it eliminates the need for an operator to move the glass sheet. Instead, it is managed by robots on an island that cannot be accessed when the machines are in operation.
Ongoing evolution
Developed two years ago, this island is constantly evolving, as will be apparent with the advances on display at the forthcoming trade shows, both in terms of the integration between edging machines and robots and in terms of speed of operation, which depends on the robot’s work cycle. Bovone has a lineup of edging machines fitted with 10 to 17 motors and the island can be created with each and every one of these machines. Each island is customized, that is: designed to meet the needs of the customer, combining the most suitable edgers with the robots.
Edgers and robots
The edging machines are equipped with a gripper, engineered to reduce both weight and footprint, thus boosting performance and saving time and energy during the work cycle: up to 25% less compared to similar equipment. If the complete island is the most thorough system, Bovone also came up with a gradual process of automation with the integration of robots on machines already in use. Elettromeccanica Bovone, in fact, has its own software division that is capable of adapting pre-existing systems.
