Ann Arbor, Michigan – Manufacturers struggling to get CNC machines to communicate directly with their collaborative robot now have a solution: VersaBuilt Robotic’s CNC Communication URCap is a simple yet powerful interface for machine tending applications with Universal Robots.
The URCap allows a UR cobot to easily execute any machining program stored on the CNC directly through the cobot’s own teach pendant. Initially launching for Haas CNC machines, VersaBuilt will develop UR interfaces for other popular CNC makes later this year.
The Haas CNC Communication URCap will soon be available through the UR+ platform, a showroom of products all certified to integrate seamlessly with UR cobots. The URCap maintains all Haas safety interlock features and works with Haas, VersaBuilt, and other third-party automatic door openers.
Another testament to this mission is VersaBuilt’s patented MultiGrip workholding system, soon available through the UR+ platform. MultiGrip includes an automatic vise, machinable jaws and an end-of-arm tool for the UR robot. MultiGrip was developed to address the frustration experienced when working with traditional robot grippers and CNC vises.
“We ended up asking ourselves: why can’t the robot and CNC use the same jaws?” explains says Albert Youngwerth, CEO of VersaBuilt Robotics.
Youngwerth’s team developed the workholding system that allows the robot and the CNC to share a set of MultiGrip machinable jaws for infeed, outfeed, and CNC machining, resulting in reduced engineering costs, easier robot programming, faster setup time, and enhanced processing capabilities.