ABB is offering a panel-mounted variant for larger ABB robots, providing system integrators with easier and more flexible integration solutions.
The panel-mounted controller (PMC) claims to be the only panel mounted robot controller on the market enabling compact and integrated solutions for large robots.
"The PMC is the same as the standard variant of the IRC5 controller, only stripped of its enclosure/cabinet for flexible mounting. The user gets the full IRC5 experience, including superior TrueMove and QuickMove motion control, which is rather a unique offer,” explains Paolo Maggi, Product Specialist for ABB in Australia.
“While ABB has been offering this kind of controller for smaller robots for quite a while, we have now adapted the controller to the needs of our system integrators and scaled the system up to most of our larger robots.”
"The PMC consists of a drive module and a control module that can be separately mounted in a variety of configurations (on top of each other, side-by-side, back-to-back). Each module is made up of two layers. The first layer can be folded down for easy access to the second. Up to four drive modules can be connected to the same control module for multiple robot control (MultiMove).”
“Panel mounting has several benefits, including reduced floor space and internal cabling that is easier to manage,” says Maggi. “A major benefit is that it allows machine builders and integrators to create their own enclosures to protect electronics in various environments.”
As an example, the food industry often requires equipment that is washdown capable. In the foundry industry a moist, dusty atmosphere calls for a sealed cooling system. In other industries the controller may be faced with ignition risk, extreme temperatures or excessive vibrations.
With panel mounting, controllers can be sealed off from all of these factors with an appropriate enclosure. Since the PMC controller is fully EMC certified, there are no issues with disturbances to surrounding equipment or EMC certification of the final enclosed solution.