What is FlexiBowl?

FlexiBowl is an innovative flexible parts feeder that provides separation of components such as metal, plastic, and rubber. FlexiBowl is versatile and able to feed any object with the help of combined movements provided by a servomotor and an impulse generator.

FlexiBowl is paired with a vibrating bulk feeder and optional motorized hopper.  The bulk feeder releases parts into FlexiBowl and is separated by the combination of bidirectional rotation and impulse generator.  Once the parts are separated, FlexiVision recognizes the objects and sends the coordinates to the robot for pick-up.

The communication with the robot controller and vision system is achieved by sending simple commands through the available communications ports: Ethernet (TCP/IP, UDP/IP), Ethernet/IP, digital I/O.

Customize your FlexiBowl with multiple colors, textures, rotary disks, resistance, and degrees of surface adhesion.

Traditional Operating Mode

In the FlexiBowl, the disks are split into three functional sectors.

1. Dropping (action of the bulk feeder)

2. Separating (action of the flexible feeder)

3. Picking (action of the robot)

Dropping, separating, and picking takes place at the same time.  The process lasts around 0.5 seconds, which is a benchmark in the flexible feeding market.

FlexiTrack

FlexiTrack enables the circular conveyor tracker of the FlexiBowl.  The FlexiTrack vision system operates in a separate sector located right before the robot picking area. The robot and vision processing is simultaneous so the time wasted in processing data is reduced.  In this system, a second camera is positioned before the bulk feeder to balance the parts dropping.

Advantages of FlexiTrack

1. The steady flow of parts reduces the time spent on parts handling.
2. The vision system processing time has a low impact on the feed rate.
3. The parts stabilization time is eliminated.
4. Multiple lighting solutions can be applied without limiting the robot’s movement.
5. The same productivity as in traditional mode can be obtained with a FlexiBowl size down.
6. One FlexiTrack replaces two traditional mode feeders saving cost.
7. The instant cycle time of the Pick & Place is quiet and steady which makes the FlexiTrack suitable for synchronous applications.

Multiple Parts Feeding

Multiple parts feeding allows simultaneous feeding for different components.  Up to 6 different types of components can be managed by the same FlexiBowl reliably. A separate bulk feeder is needed for every simple type of component.  Multiple parts feeding allows minimizing layout and production costs.

A different type of surface can be applied to each sector maximizing the feeding experience.

The surfaces are offered in different:

• Colors
• Textures
• Degrees of Adhesion

FDA and antistatic surfaces are also available.  The multiple parts feeding is suitable for applications such as assembly, kitting, and tray loading.

This feature can be equipped with FlexiBowl 500, 650, and 800.

Options

Choose the best options for your components.

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