Robert Bürkle programs Yaskawa robots

Laminators for credit cards and photovoltaic modules, painting systems for the furniture industry and everything related to wood processing: Robert Bürkle GmbH in Freudenstadt has a diverse product range. The company specializes in pressing and coating technologies for floors, doors and wood-based panels. Rolling, casting and spray-painting systems are also part of the portfolio.

Especially in wood processing, the plant manufacturer must often handle heavy workpieces. These include lightweight panels for the caravan industry that weigh between 180 and 250 kilograms – and are thus too heavy for a human being. “With these requirements, it was inevitable that robots be included in new plant concepts,” recalls Marian Michels, who has been working as a PLC programmer since graduating from his electrical engineering degree in 2018. Customers are increasingly demanding robotics and automation. The crux: for programming robots, trained professionals are needed, and these are difficult to reach on the market. Michels' obvious solution was to program the Yaskawa robots installed in the plant themselves – thanks to the new SRCI interface.

Simple programming directly in the PLC

SRCI stands for Standard Robot Control Interface. Robert Bürkle is one of the first pilot enterprises to use the new interface. The concept of SRCI is very intuitive: thanks to the interface, programming can take place directly in the programmable logic controller (PLC) – no specific knowledge of the systems of the robot manufacturers is required. The interface offers a collection of PLC function modules, also called library, for various robot functions. In the development Robert Bürkle benefited from the pioneering spirit of his robot supplier. “Yaskawa took the issue seriously from the beginning and has been a major driver of development,” says Bertus de Groot, application engineer at the Robotics Division of Yaskawa Europe. The idea for SRCI stems from an initiative by Siemens. Since 2018 the PLC manufacturer has assembled a comprehensive panel of robot manufacturers, developers and users under the coordination of the organization Profibus & Profinet International (PI).

After several years of cooperation, SRCI is now market-ready, as the joint project between Yaskawa and Siemens with Robert Bürkle has shown. The plant manufacturer now optimizes its systems using a digital twin. The virtual image enables the Robert Bürkle designers better use of existing resources in programming, thus saving considerable time. The plates processed in the plant are three meters long and one meter wide. Any test attempt with real material on the facility would be an enormous effort. In addition, construction and finetuning are more efficient,” says Michels.

Suitable for smaller companies

Despite careful preparation, the first real test for the digital twin was the virtual commissioning of the latest system. To do this, the Yaskawa robot used had to be integrated into the PLC program, including tests of correct functioning and working areas. Robert Bürkle installed the MOTOMAN GP225 handling robot with a load capacity of up to 225 kilograms and a maximum working range of 2,702 mm.

The mid-sized company had already convinced itself at an early stage of Yaskawa’s superiority, so the new programming option was welcomed with open arms. “SRCI was simply an invaluable asset,” recalls Michels. The PLC programmer was able to work in his familiar environment – and quickly complete commissioning. Despite manufacturer independence, Yaskawa motion control and web accuracy are maintained in the plant. The multi-axis and multitask-capable MOTOMAN YRC1000 controller and compact YRC1000micro controller for robots up to twelve kilograms are currently supported. In particular, small companies benefit greatly from the interface. “SRCI is the right solution for smaller customers who do not want to program everything themselves,” says Yaskawa expert de Groot. Although the importance of robots in plant construction is increasing, for SMEs like Robert Bürkle, commissioning robots is not exactly routine. “The interface is the best and fastest way to use robots in this size of company because it’s so simple,” explains programmer Michels. When all is said and done, the capacity to attract a large number of robot experts cannot be maintained on site in Freudenstadt.

Nevertheless, Marian Michels has already convinced some of his colleagues about SRCI. As the main person responsible for robotics, he gives training and explains the work with the interface in-house. Feedback from colleagues is positive: “The learning time is very manageable,” Michels explains. Programming with SRCI is so easy at Robert Bürkle that following the first trials with two robots, there are now five robots in the production hall. “We can now offer even more difficult robot applications with a good conscience,” says the programmer.

MotoLogix continues to play an important role

Marian Michels and Bertus de Groot are convinced that the importance of SRCI in industry will increase significantly in the coming years. The deep integration of robots into existing development environments for PLCs and HMIs, low programming effort and simple virtual commissioning are the key to this. However, it does not mean that existing programming possibilities will be replaced. Since 2015, Yaskawa has been offering its own MotoLogix solution, a software interface for teaching and programming robots using PLC function modules. MotoLogix is mainly used by larger OEMs who can devote more time and know-how to robot programming.

Strong spirit of innovation in Freudenstadt

Robert Bürkle has already implemented several projects with MotoLogix. “The company has always been a pioneer when it comes to the use of new technologies,” says de Groot. The Black Forest manufacturer is highly satisfied with the SRCI projects implemented so far. The key to success was the close cooperation between the companies involved. “We had a direct link to the development,” recalls Michels. Together, they also identified challenges and found solutions. When additional robots are installed in the large-scale facilities in Freudenstadt, Marian Michels and his colleagues will be able to rely on the support of Yaskawa.