ABB improves ease-of-integration for larger robots

Integrating large robots just became significantly easier. ABB has extended the benefits of panel-mounted controllers (PMCs) to the company’s larger robots with PMC Large, an expansion of the IRC5 robot controller range.

The PMC Large is the same as the standard variant of the IRC5 controller, only stripped naked for flexible mounting. The user gets the full IRC5 experience, including superior TrueMove and QuickMove motion control.

"This is rather a unique offer,” explains Mats Myhr, Product Manager for robot controllers at ABB. “While ABB has been offering this kind of controller for smaller robots for the past few years, we have now responded to the needs of our systems integrators and scaled the system up to our larger robots.”

The PMC Large 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 of which may be folded down for easy access to the second. Up to four drive modules may be connected to the same control module for multiple robot control (MultiMove) or control of additional axes.

The main benefit is that it allows machine builders and integrators to create their own enclosures to protect the electronics in any environment

“Panel mounting has several benefits, including reduced floor space and internal cabling that is easier to manage,” says Myhr. “The main benefit, however, is that it allows machine builders and integrators to create their own enclosures to protect the electronics in any environment. For 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. And since the controller is fully EMC-certified, there are no issues with disturbances to surrounding equipment or EMC certification of the final enclosed solution.