Machines, Service, and Support from Hartwig, Inc.

As more companies return to full staff following the pandemic, manufacturers are focusing now, more than ever, on technologies and processes that equip them to be more productive than ever before with safety top of mind.

Hartwig and Okuma remain dedicated to helping machine tool users gain competitive advantage through advanced technologies. Robotic high precision multitasking machines are meeting industry demand in new and innovative ways.

Armroid LB3000 EXII: Built-In Robot Packaged with Machine Tool

Providing surgical precision and in-process support, Armroid’s latest offering-the LB3000 EXII- is a technological game changer for CNC machinists. The flagship two-axis lathe is the largest horizontal lathe in Okuma’s “Affordable Excellence” collection. It features compact robotics with no need for third-party integration, as it is built and manufactured entirely by Okuma.

The LB3000 EXII is built on Okuma’s Thermo-Friendly Concept to ensure minimal thermal growth. Its slanted box bed construction manifests in unsurpassed quality and rigidity. Equipped with Okuma’s high-power, high-torque PREX motor, it delivers high-quality machining from heavy-speed to high-speed cutting.

Because the robot lives within the machine tool rather than outside the machine, the LB3000 EXII saves on space, installation, time and more. Unlike other more antiquated technology requiring a parts catcher to hang off the stocker, with the LB3000 EXII the machine part is contained within the sleek, easy-to-control robot. A four-pitch stocker, positioned next to the robot, is equipped with four different levels to fit various shaft widths. Built-in sensors signal the robot as to when each shelf is full or empty. Sensors also prevent parts from being dropped onto each other and allow smooth transitioning and part unloading.

Just two fingers are all that are needed to effortlessly slide the robot, thanks to its sleek design and lightweight body.

The LB3000 EXII is operator friendly. Its open-architecture OSP-P control makes this machine not only easy to program and operate (without requiring constant monitoring by the operator) and offers easy integration with other peripheral equipment. The technology is available in a wide variety of bed lengths, bore sizes, and options, including live tooling, sub-spindle, and Y-axis. There is a configuration to meet any shop’s requirements. R and C program creation features an easy-to-read menu that walks the operator through whether to load and unload parts, flip parts, wash down and more.

Each robot manufactured by Okuma is equipped with a collision avoidance system. The LB3000 EXII is no exception. The system monitors the robot’s motion and everything taking place within. Operators may easily program the robot to follow an automatically generated robotic path, and programs may be simply customized according to specific loading and unloading points. Inputting workholding, size and length.

Compactness is another plus of the LB300 EXII. The robot controller fits inside an electrical cabinet. No accessories are located outside of the machine’s footprint.

While the LB3000 EXII is suitable exclusively for shaft work, Okuma manufactures another Armroid specifically for chucker work. There are options to suit whatever need a shop demands.

Armroid OGL 10 Gantry Loader: The LB3000 EXII’s Ideal Robotic Companion

Okuma’s overhead gantry loading system, the LB3000 EXII Gantry Loader, is the ideal mate for the manufacturer’s most popular horizontal lathe machine.

Nearly 10,000 of these machine combinations are actively transforming machine manufacturers’ processes worldwide.

The OGL 10-named for its 10 KGs of weight capacity-offers manufacturers five distinct machine variations capable of accommodating lathe weights from 11 pounds up to 330 pounds.

Engineered solutions abound to enable the OGL 10 to suit any operator’s custom needs and requirements.

The robotic accessory is available in 20-station, 10-station, and six-station stocker tables.

An easy-to-program swivel hand for chucking or shaft work is programmed via g-codes and m-codes and an integrated teach pendant rather than through PLC, with no third-party integration required. Robotic movements are guided precisely.

The OGL 10’s pinpoint accuracy is ensured by Okuma’s thermally stable platform, engineered to minimize operator intervention. The technology’s thermal friendliness means an operator never has to chase offsets amidst temperature fluctuations.

An automatic touch setter allows the OGL 10 to run at full production while unattended. An operator may mount a spindle probe to the turret to keep track of part sizes without having to be always present, thanks to third-party automation.

Tool load and tool life monitoring plus solid chip control are also attainable without the operator having to be present.

Looking Toward the Future

As machinists continue their full return to the line following an uncertain season, Hartwig and Okuma remain dedicated to equip them with the best, latest, safest and most productive solutions to ensure their success and profitability for years to come.