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UK’s strongest robot flexes its muscles at the MTC
Published:  03 January, 2020

What is thought to be the UK’s most powerful industrial robot has been installed at Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry. The six-axis Fanuc M-2000iA/2300 machine can handle heavy loads, such as automotive chassis and foundry workpieces, weighing up to 2.3 tonnes. It has a reach of 3.7m and vertical lifting stroke of 6.2m.

The robot will be used for research into large volumetric assembly in the construction industry. Because of its long reach, the robot can also be used instead of conventional cranes, hoists and shuttles, increasing output and eliminating potentially dangerous manual work.

Jeremy Hadall, the MTC’s chief engineer for intelligent automation, says that the new robot will play a major role at the Centre, especially in construction industry projects. “This machine, as well as being very large and very strong, is much faster and more flexible than a traditional crane or hoist,” he points out.

The massive Fanuc robot at the MTC can handle loads weighing up to 2.3 tonnes

“To date, the majority of industrial robots in the UK would fall into the small-to-medium size category, performing functions such as pick-and-place, welding, and riveting,” says Andy Armstrong, Fanuc UK’s sales and marketing manager. “However, there is a huge opportunity across a number of vertical market sectors, such as the construction industry, for large robots with extremely heavy load capacities to be integrated into production applications, both de-risking operations and improving productivity.”