Polyurethane timing belts selected for robot application

Advanced Engineering Industrie GmbH - based in Hallein, Austria - manufactures automatic load/unload systems for use in PCB production and test systems. Its MOV 650 series four-axis pick-and-place robot positions PCBs between conveyors and processes such as etching. Reflecting the competitive nature of the industry, the design of the robot system called for low cost combined with maximum flexibility to enable the robot to adapt to any size of PCB. Other requirements included the ability to meet high processing speeds with long life and minimal maintenance.

Advanced Engineering Industrie based its design on a SCARA robot with one linear axis and three rotary axes, all acting in the same horizontal plane. In operation the robot can transport up to 12 circuit boards per minute, handling two magazine-mounted PCBs simultaneously - each measuring up to 650 x 650mm with a combined weight of 4kg. To minimise the overall inertia, the robot uses a low-mass power transmission system comprising 12 Synchroflex GEN III polyurethane high-performance timing belts with hardened precision pulleys and servomotor drives.

The choice of the GEN III timing belt with its harder polyurethane and improved steel cord tensioning allows up to 25 per cent more power transmission than conventional belts, resulting in higher load performance and improved lifetime. Furthermore, with constant length and no post-elongation, the belt maintains very high dynamic stiffness to provide optimal servo control characteristics and exceptional accuracy and repeatability. Another benefit is that the distinctive red GEN III belt requires no lubrication, is very quiet and is effectively maintenance-free after installation.

Transmission Developments (Transdev) is the exclusive UK distributor for Synchroflex products and is a member of MULCO, the umbrella organisation of leading European power transmission companies distributing Synchroflex, Breco and Brecoflex belting and pulleys.