Robotics in Manufacturing

Integrations

Everything that bolts onto the arm

60 published integration notes: 2D conveyor tracking, Allen-Bradley ControlLogix, ATI force-torque sensor, ATI tool changer, Banner light curtain, Basler cameras, Beckhoff TwinCAT, CC-Link IE, Cell controller, CIP Safety fieldbus, Cognex In-Sight, Deburring spindle, Deep-learning defect detection, DeviceNet, Dispensing pump, E-stop relays, EtherCAT, Ethernet Global Data, EtherNet/IP, FANUC iRVision, Fronius power source, Ignition SCADA, Keyence safety laser, Keyence vision, Laser source, Lincoln Electric power source, Magnetic grippers, MES integration, Miller welding, Mitsubishi iQ-R, Modbus TCP, Muting sensors, OnRobot grippers, OPC UA, Photoneo bin picking, Piab vacuum, Pilz safety controller, PROFIBUS, PROFINET, ROBOGUIDE simulation, Robotiq 2F gripper, Robotiq force-torque sensor, RobotStudio simulation, Safety fenceless systems, Safety PLC integration, SCADA link, Schunk grippers, Seam tracking sensor, Servo weld gun, Shielding gas control, SICK safety scanner, SICK vision, Siemens S7-1500, SMC vacuum, Socket messaging, Soft grippers, Structured-light 3D scanning, Two-hand control stations, Wire feeder, Zivid 3D.

Vision 2D conveyor tracking Vision-guided technique that lets a robot pick moving parts off a conveyor by tracking position through an encoder-synced camera trigger.
PLC & cell control Allen-Bradley ControlLogix Rockwell Automation's flagship modular PLC platform, commonly used as the cell or line controller coordinating robots, conveyors, and safety systems.
End effectors ATI force-torque sensor Industrial-grade six-axis force-torque sensor used for high-precision assembly, deburring, and finishing tasks requiring accurate force feedback.
End effectors ATI tool changer Automatic robotic tool changer that lets a single robot swap between grippers or process tools without manual intervention.
Safety devices Banner light curtain Photoelectric light curtain used to guard robot cell openings and press points, stopping the robot if the light beams are interrupted.
Vision Basler cameras Industrial machine vision cameras used as the imaging hardware inside custom vision systems built on frameworks like Cognex or open-source libraries.
PLC & cell control Beckhoff TwinCAT PC-based automation software platform running on EtherCAT that handles PLC logic, motion control, and sometimes robot kinematics from a single controller.
Fieldbus & networking CC-Link IE Gigabit industrial Ethernet network from the CC-Link Partner Association, common on Mitsubishi-based cells for linking robots, drives, and I/O.
PLC & cell control Cell controller The supervisory PLC or industrial PC that coordinates robots, conveyors, sensors, and safety devices as one production cell rather than isolated machines.
Safety devices CIP Safety fieldbus Safety-rated extension of EtherNet/IP and DeviceNet that carries safety signals, such as e-stop and guard status, over the same network as standard I/O.
Vision Cognex In-Sight Standalone smart camera vision system widely used for part inspection, guidance, and barcode reading alongside any robot brand.
Welding & process gear Deburring spindle Robot-mounted rotary spindle tool used for deburring, grinding, or polishing, often paired with force control for consistent material removal.
Vision Deep-learning defect detection Vision inspection approach that uses trained neural network models to flag defects that are hard to describe with traditional rule-based tools.
Fieldbus & networking DeviceNet Legacy CAN-based fieldbus still found on older robot cells for linking simple I/O devices, grippers, and photoeyes to a PLC.
Welding & process gear Dispensing pump Metered fluid dispensing system, such as adhesive or sealant pumps, synchronized with robot motion for consistent bead application.
Safety devices E-stop relays Hardwired safety relays that monitor emergency stop buttons and cut power to the robot and cell equipment through redundant, monitored contacts.
Fieldbus & networking EtherCAT High-speed deterministic fieldbus that daisy-chains servo drives, I/O, and sensors on a single Ethernet cable with microsecond-level synchronization.
Fieldbus & networking Ethernet Global Data GE/Emerson PACSystems producer-consumer protocol used to exchange I/O data between robot controllers and GE-based PLCs over Ethernet.
Fieldbus & networking EtherNet/IP Industrial Ethernet protocol built on CIP that links robot controllers to PLCs, I/O blocks, and HMIs over standard Ethernet cabling.
Vision FANUC iRVision FANUC's built-in vision system that runs directly on the R-30iB controller for 2D and 3D guidance, inspection, and bin picking.
Welding & process gear Fronius power source Fronius arc welding power sources, such as the TPS/i series, known for digital process control and tight integration with major robot brands.
PLC & cell control Ignition SCADA Web-launched SCADA and HMI platform from Inductive Automation, commonly used to build plant-wide dashboards on top of robot cell and PLC data.
Safety devices Keyence safety laser Safety laser scanners from Keyence used similarly to SICK and Banner units for area monitoring and access point protection around robot cells.
Vision Keyence vision Keyence CV-X and XG series vision systems used for high-speed inspection, measurement, and robot guidance with menu-driven setup.
Welding & process gear Laser source Fiber or CO2 laser source integrated with the robot for laser welding, cutting, or marking applications requiring precise beam path control.
Welding & process gear Lincoln Electric power source Lincoln Electric arc welding power sources, such as the Power Wave series, integrated with the robot controller for synchronized weld parameter control.
End effectors Magnetic grippers End effectors that use permanent or electromagnetic force to lift and hold ferrous parts, common for sheet metal and stamped part handling.
PLC & cell control MES integration Data exchange between the robot cell and a manufacturing execution system for work order tracking, traceability, and production reporting.
Welding & process gear Miller welding Miller Electric arc welding power sources and wire feeders integrated with robot controllers for synchronized parameter control and weld monitoring.
PLC & cell control Mitsubishi iQ-R Mitsubishi Electric's high-performance modular PLC series, often paired with CC-Link IE networks to coordinate robots and drives in a cell.
Fieldbus & networking Modbus TCP Simple, widely supported Ethernet protocol for exchanging registers between a robot controller and PLCs, sensors, or third-party equipment.
Safety devices Muting sensors Sensor pairs that temporarily bypass a light curtain or scanner zone in a controlled way to let material pass through without stopping the robot.
End effectors OnRobot grippers Plug-and-play electric and vacuum grippers designed for fast mounting on collaborative and light industrial robot arms.
Fieldbus & networking OPC UA Platform-independent, security-capable data exchange standard used to pull robot status and production data into MES, SCADA, and analytics systems.
Vision Photoneo bin picking 3D scanner and software package purpose-built for random bin picking, generating grasp poses for unsorted parts in a bin or tote.
End effectors Piab vacuum Vacuum pumps, cups, and gripper systems, including the piCOBOT line, built specifically for lightweight and collaborative robot handling tasks.
Safety devices Pilz safety controller Pilz safety controllers (the PSS 4000 family) run the machine-safety logic for a robot cell: E-stops, guard doors, light curtains, and area scanners feeding rated stop commands to the robot. The required performance level or safety integrity level comes from the cell's risk assessment under ISO 13849-1 or IEC 62061, and the controller is sized to meet that target. The PSS 4000 can run safety and standard automation in one project, or sit as a dedicated safety layer beside a general-purpose PLC.
Fieldbus & networking PROFIBUS Older RS-485 based fieldbus still found on legacy Siemens cells, largely superseded by PROFINET but still active in many plants.
Fieldbus & networking PROFINET Siemens-developed industrial Ethernet standard used to connect robots, drives, and I/O to S7 PLCs with real-time and isochronous options.
PLC & cell control ROBOGUIDE simulation FANUC's offline programming and simulation software used to design, program, and validate robot cells before they exist on the shop floor.
End effectors Robotiq 2F gripper Widely used two-finger adaptive gripper known for simple setup on collaborative robots and light industrial pick-and-place tasks.
End effectors Robotiq force-torque sensor Six-axis force-torque sensor mounted at the wrist to give the robot feedback for insertion, assembly, and finishing tasks that need force control.
PLC & cell control RobotStudio simulation ABB's offline programming and virtual commissioning software for designing, programming, and testing ABB robot cells before installation.
Safety devices Safety fenceless systems Combination of safety scanners, speed and separation monitoring, and rated robot software that lets a cell operate without full perimeter fencing.
Safety devices Safety PLC integration Dedicated safety-rated PLC logic that ties together e-stops, guarding devices, and robot safe I/O into a certified safety function.
PLC & cell control SCADA link Connection between the robot cell's PLC and a plant SCADA system that gives operators and supervisors a real-time view of status and alarms.
End effectors Schunk grippers German-made parallel, angular, and centric grippers covering a wide range of payloads, widely used for precision part handling and assembly.
Welding & process gear Seam tracking sensor Laser or arc-based sensor that lets the robot adjust its weld path in real time to follow the actual joint location instead of a fixed taught path.
Welding & process gear Servo weld gun Resistance spot welding gun driven by a servo motor axis, integrated with the robot for controlled tip force and adaptive gun opening.
Welding & process gear Shielding gas control Gas flow and mixture control equipment integrated with the robot weld cell to maintain consistent shielding coverage and detect flow faults.
Safety devices SICK safety scanner Laser-based area scanner from SICK, such as the microScan3, used to create configurable safety zones around a robot cell without fixed fencing.
Vision SICK vision SICK 2D and 3D vision sensors, including the Visionary series, used for robot guidance, volume measurement, and object detection.
PLC & cell control Siemens S7-1500 Siemens' current-generation PLC platform, programmed in TIA Portal, often used as the cell controller on PROFINET-based robot lines.
End effectors SMC vacuum Pneumatic vacuum ejectors, cups, and valve systems from SMC used to build vacuum end-of-arm tooling for handling flat or sealed parts.
Fieldbus & networking Socket messaging Raw TCP/IP socket communication used when a robot controller needs to exchange custom data with a PC, vision system, or database directly.
End effectors Soft grippers Compliant, often silicone or bellows-based grippers that conform to irregular or delicate parts without rigid fingers or high clamping force.
Vision Structured-light 3D scanning 3D imaging technique that projects a known light pattern onto a part to calculate depth and shape, used for guidance and dimensional inspection.
Safety devices Two-hand control stations Dual-button control stations that require an operator to use both hands to start a robot cycle, keeping hands clear of the point of operation.
Welding & process gear Wire feeder Motor-driven wire feed unit that supplies filler wire to the welding torch at a controlled speed synchronized with the power source and robot path.
Vision Zivid 3D High-resolution color 3D camera used for bin picking and precise part localization where standard 2D vision cannot resolve depth or orientation.