New robot for super sleek countertops 

Cooking is an experience, they believe at Merito in Balk, Friesland. And so the stainless steel countertops that leave the factory are of impeccable quality. Especially since they work with a finishing robot that can sand and polish. The heart of the total system is a ctrlX core, which benefits Merito in several ways.

Everything customized

"Merito tailors each countertop to the customer's needs and specifications," says Frank van Gastel, business developer robotics at EKB, a total solutions provider for industrial automation. "Until recently, sanding and polishing was the responsibility of operators. Manual work, in other words. But the robot is going to take over much of that manual work."

ctrlX core as beating heart

The result is a seven-meter-long CKR200 linear module, to which is attached a Universal robot with a special sanding head. The servo motor controlling this module is controlled by an XCS2 W0023 ctrlX drive. Among other things, this drive provides the correct control in pressure, positioning and movement. The beating heart of the entire installation is a crtlX core. With this installation, Merito can process countertops up to more than six meters (the range of the sanding head is seven meters). 

Open character

Ron van de Wiel, sales and account manager at Bosch Rexroth: "One of the strengths of ctrlX is its open nature. This allows applications with different programming languages to talk to each other. Like in this case the sanding head, the Universal robot and the other modules." Van Gastel confirms, "Merito designs the countertops in its 3D CAD system. Things like sinks, cutouts for cooking platforms and the like are also included in that design. After this, the ctrlX controller immediately proves its first added value: via a Python application, it translates the desired sanding treatment so that the robot can get to work. Thanks to its open nature, ctrlX connects different protocols. A great advantage."

Advanced security

In addition, ctrlX plays a key role in advanced security measures. Van Gastel explains: "The robot does its work without physical security, such as fencing. This is possible thanks to the 'feel' in the robot arms, which move in six degrees of freedom. That basically makes it a cobot, a cooperative robot. Does one of the arms encounter something other than the programmed countertop? Then a total stop immediately follows. And with ctrlX we were able to link this safety measure to the seventh Bosch Rexroth axis, which then also switches off safely thanks to this collaborative function."

No impediment

The positive effect of this security guarantee is that employees do not have to be hampered in their work by physical security. "So they have their entire workplace at their disposal. Especially if they switch off the robot and move it via the linear axis of the CKR module. In short: all space for their manual work."

Just like a smartphone

One of those manual operations is sanding the sides of the stainless steel countertops. "Although we are already thinking about a solution to have the robot perform that operation as well," Van Gastel said. "That's the beauty of ctrlX automation: you modify the software and can leave the hardware intact. It actually works just like a smartphone. Want to add functionality, such as the weather forecast or your banking environment? Then you don't have to buy a whole new phone to do that, just install the apps you want. With ctrlX, it's exactly like that."

Two steps ahead

With the open nature of ctrlX automation, Bosch Rexroth wants to stand out in the market and offer customers solutions that really help them move forward. Van de Wiel explains: "If the whole world worked with Bosch Rexroth, it would be a different story. But it is not. And it fits perfectly with our philosophy to seek out cooperation. In doing so, we are basically two steps ahead. We are not looking at where the market is now, but where it is going in the future."

Visit Bosch Rexroth at the WoTS - Booth number 11E014