The KR Pulse Ecosystem: Kassow Robots Latest Push Toward Flexible Cobot Solutions

Kassow Robots, a collaborative robot manufacturer, has released its KR Pulse ecosystem, which allows users to integrate components, vision systems, and software with its robots.

 

Kassow Robots’ 7-axis KR cobot lineup, with a payload range of 5-18 kg and a reach range of 850-1800 mm. Image used courtesy of Kassow Robots

 

KR Pulse Ecosystem

Kassow Robots has built its new ecosystem of compatible components, application kits, and engineering tools to expand the flexibility and usability of its 7-axis KR cobots. The KR series of cobots has five lightweight models with varying reach and payloads. 

With the launch of the KR Pulse Ecosystem, Kassow Robots now enables companies that may not have teams of mechanical and electrical engineers to select devices, vision systems, and simulation tools from a list and easily integrate them into its KR robotic system. The ecosystem also has simulation tools that can be used to simulate robot paths, calculate cycle time, or even prepare programs for redeployment.

 

Flexible Automation

A common tool attached to a robot is a gripper controlled with pneumatics or electronics. These grippers need to be mounted to the robot's faceplate—an interface plate will need to be designed and manufactured before the gripper can be mounted. 

 

Kassow Robots’ cobot with an integrated Smart Flex Effector from Bosch Rexroth. Image used courtesy of Kassow Robots

 

With the KR Pulse Ecosystem, users can integrate various devices into a KR cobot for quick and flexible automation, such as the Bosch Rexroth’s Smart Flex Effector. The Smart Flex Effector gripper interface allows six degrees of compliance. When integrated into the KR system, the Smart Flex Effector uses Kassow Robots’ capacity bundles (C-Buns) technology to communicate with the robot software.

 

Robot Vision Guidance

The KR Pulse Ecosystem also enables seamless integration with vision systems and software. Many robot applications require a vision system to show the robot where a part is or where the place position is. These systems can grow to be very complicated and often require multidisciplinary engineers to integrate successfully. 

 

Kassow Robots’ cobot utilizing Sick’s PLOC2D robot guidance system. Image used courtesy of Kassow Robots

 

With the KR Pulse Ecosystem, users can easily integrate KR cobots with a vision system, like Sick’s easy-to-use vision sensor designed specifically for part localization sensing, the PLOC2D. The PLOC2D also uses C-Buns technology for simple integration into the Kassow Robots product family. 

 

Capability Bundles (C-Buns) 

As part of the KR Pulse Ecosystem, Kassow Robots has developed C-Buns, plugins for its software to allow end users the ability to plug in a variety of different devices to its robot and quickly integrate them. With C-Buns, devices such as feeders, grippers, and vision systems can simply be selected within the KR software, reducing the integration time for these devices. This functionally gives users the confidence that they, too, can implement a robotic system in their facility.