At Vision, Robotics & Motion, Dormac Cobots/Doosan Robotics showcased two novelties for the first time in Europe: the P3020 Cobot and the Dart-Suite software platform. This combination highlights the trend that innovation in robotics involves both hardware and software. The Rocking Robots team interviewed Frank Epping about this.
In Den Bosch, one of the largest installations was the P3020 cobot from Doosan Robotics. “It is the first time that we have been able to present this in Europe,” says Sales Manager Frank Epping of Dormac Cobots/Doosan Robotics. “It is an arm with a considerable payload: it can lift thirty kilos and has a reach of more than two meters. We therefore think that this is a groundbreaking cobot in our range.”
He continues: “We have been the market leader in the field of heavy-duty robots for five years. Our partners, with whom we work a lot, are increasingly asking us about the option of lifting heavier weights. Boxes are often twenty or twenty-five kilos, and users want sufficient reach to stack several pallets. This robot meets all those wishes, while maintaining the Doosan quality. This means, for example, a high safety certification, PL Cat 4, on our robots. It is also extremely low in power consumption, so it is really high-tech news that we are proud of.”
Cobots
Epping sees a rapidly growing demand for such robots in the Benelux, with increasing interest from new industries and for new applications. “People are discovering the usefulness of the cobot, and everyone is shorthanded. It actually solves a problem in almost all industries: the automotive sector, the agricultural sector, logistics, the medical world, and also the food industry. We have special robots for that, our Food Grade A series.”
Dart-Suite was also on display for the first time at this fair. “That is Doosan’s new platform that allows our partners to write apps and then connect them to every conceivable system they need in the field. It looks better graphically, the interaction is better and it is a great opportunity for software developers to use their knowledge and creativity.”
More Creative
“For example, a machine builder may have multiple PLCs or screens on which they want to run the software for the robot. We bring those worlds together more. They can control from one system and make it visual for the end customer. Because he or she simply wants to know what to do, or to fill in a box with numbers. We have the ability to integrate that with existing systems.”
“It is a great next step in the development of the software. Users are no longer bound to one platform and its rules. They can now be more creative and use whatever they want, from Java to Visual Studio. They can really go wild with that.”
