Electrical giant Schneider launches new Lexium collaborative robot

At MODEX 2024, Schneider Electric announced the release of two new collaborative robots : Lexium RL 3 and RL 12, and the Lexium RL 18 model later this year. From single-axis machine tools to high-performance multi-axis collaborative robots , the Lexium range enables high-speed motion and control of up to 130 axes with a single processor. The company says this enables precise positioning, helping to address manufacturers’ production, flexibility and sustainability challenges.

In the era of Industry 4.0 , globalization has brought about fierce market competition, customer needs are becoming increasingly personalized, product life cycles are constantly shortening, and there are also challenges in sustainable development that require the manufacturing industry to reduce carbon emissions and resource consumption. These challenges force companies to pursue more flexible, efficient and environmentally friendly production methods.

Although traditional industrial robot systems are very useful in assembly line production, they cannot meet the needs of flexible manufacturing. Industrial robots are bulky, expensive, and complex to program. Once they are put into use, they are difficult to adjust and difficult to flexibly collaborate with humans. This makes automation not very accessible in many scenarios and cannot fully realize its potential.

Compared with traditional industrial robots, collaborative robots are more compact, more flexible and lower cost. While ensuring production efficiency, they are also safer.

Lexium digital twin provides layout, programming

Lexium cobots have a positioning accuracy of +/- 0.02 mm (+/- 0.00079 in.) and a payload range from 3 to 18 kg (6.6 to 39.6 lbs.) and will be available soon. Prices for the cobots range from $27,368 to $41,170.

The Lexium collaborative robot product line is compatible with EcoStruxure Machine Expert Twin, a software suite for creating digital models of real machines. It allows for virtual testing of strategies and commissioning, as well as shortened factory acceptance tests (FAT).

According to Schneider Electric, digitizing these processes can reduce time to market by up to 50% and commissioning time by up to 60%. The company claims that it can also save 20% to 40% in investment costs due to faster time to market.

The company said that with the increase in computing power, open software and networking, robots are faster to assemble, install and maintain. The software and automation work together using a centralized architecture and open standard programming platform.

Schneider Electric said that in addition to rapid deployment, collaborative robots allow for more ergonomic work, easier integration with existing equipment and processes, and consistent output, leading to higher product quality. It also cited benefits such as reduced stress and injuries in the workplace.

Schneider Electric said that if U.S. manufacturers want to remain globally competitive, they must modernize their processes by embracing Industry 4.0 digitalization, which includes advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT) and digital twins. It noted that the latest software can help manufacturers quickly develop new ideas, reduce work time, and meet changing customer needs.

As the business world moves towards Industry 5.0, Lexium’s motion and robotics solutions have the potential to change the way work is done and enable personalized automated manufacturing.

Last words

At present, the great challenge facing modern manufacturing is to improve efficiency and reduce costs while achieving flexible customized production, and Lexium can provide solutions for this. By integrating emerging technologies such as advanced artificial intelligence, machine learning and the Internet of Things into highly modular and intelligent collaborative robot systems, Schneider Electric provides manufacturing companies with a tool for seamless digital transformation .

Perhaps in the near future, human workers will be freed from heavy physical labor, all production links can be quickly adjusted to meet customized needs, and the boundaries between machines and humans will gradually disappear, which is the future of smart manufacturing.