Efficient operation by energy recovery: With reference to energy efficiency, the first thing to consider is the average CO2 equivalent (global warming potential, GWP) of the three phases of the robot life-cycle. The least amount of CO2 is produced during the “end-of-life” phase, where energy can be returned to the system according to recycling principles. By far the highest proportion occurs – unsurprisingly – during the use phase, particularly when it lasts many years. The more resource-saving they work in ongoing operation, the more robots will contribute to the realization of sustainability.
Energy can already be saved in the intelligent control of operational processes, such as the automatic shutdown of production facilities in planned operational breaks. But there are also robot-specific energy-saving solutions. In their very diverse tasks, be it handling, palletizing, joining or machining, industrial robots also perform many downwards or sideways movements, during which their servomotors dissipate energy. Until now, older or other robot models on the market converted this energy into waste heat by means of electrical resistors, and released it unused into the environment.
Yaskawa has now developed a technical solution by which the electric energy can also be fed back into the power grid without additional hardware and re-used. All larger MOTOMAN robots with payloads upwards of approx. 35 kg and the latest YRC1000 robot controls are able to convert kinetic energy from downwards and sideways movements directly into 400 V alternating current at 50 Hz and feed it back into the grid.
