Custom Robotic End Effectors
ProCobots recognized the need for a streamlined solution to integration of robotics in lean manufacturing. A traditional robot cell performs one specialized function, so factories spend months integrating multiple expensive, monolithic cells to serve an entire production line. ProCobots produces a standardized machine tending cell utilizing an EasyRobotics Pro Feeder and Universal-Robots UR10 collaborative robot. It can be adapted to serve multiple functions by simply swapping out 3D printed end effectors, and reprogramming on a single graphical user interface within minutes.
Job shops cannot predict what end effectors they will need each week to build unique products. 3D printing enables overnight production of custom workholding without outsourcing parts or consuming machinist time. Markforged Onyx is the only 3D printed material with sufficiently high strength-to-weight ratio and tight tolerances, and continuous fiber reinforcement elevates it further. CEO Brian Knopp loves how the combination of cost-efficiency, functional quality, and lean customization provides clear value. He says, “We’re printing the end effectors in our hotel room during an installation. This blows the customers out of the water.”
