A new family of PLC-controlled robots combines a SCARA robot with a PLC Server that allows direct programming of the robot from the Allen-Bradley family of PLCs, through a DF-1 serial connection.
The initial robots in the family will include the 4-axis SCARA Cobra PLC6000 and Cobra PLC8000. The ability to program and control robots directly from the user’s PLC is unique, says the vendor. A user connects the PLC server to his or her PLC and programs the robot directly from the PLC’s native programming environment. No emulation of ladder logic is performed and no soft PLC is used. The vendor says the approach will allow plant-floor personnel familiar with PLCs to develop and support robot applications without being robot experts.
