ROBOTUNITS have developed and patented a play-free and form-locating connection and fastening technology to overcome problems they had been experiencing in the construction of their special purpose machines.
The stability of the fasteners used in the traditional aluminium construction systems, especially in applications with extreme shock-loading and/or vibration (for example, applications with bowl-feeders), was the biggest problem Robotunits set out to solve.
The entire Robotunits product range is based on the philosophy of ‘More with Less’, meaning Robotunits do as much as possible, with the minimum number of individual components.
Firstly, Robotunits looked at their own experience with aluminium extrusion connectors and decided the new connectors must be completely play-free and require absolutely no drilling or milling of the extrusion.
Being play-free ensures the connectors offer the customer 100% repeatability during adjustment of the connector and also ensures the connector cannot work loose when subjected to vibration or dynamic loading.
Removing the need for drilling or milling processes has the obvious advantages of maximum fastener/extrusion strength as the extrusion integrity is not being compromised, no damage or temporary storage of the extrusions, no de-burring or cleaning of the extrusions required and 100% reusability of the extrusion.
The above features provide the customer with a fastening technology that is comparable to a welded steel construction, with load capacities on single fasteners of up to 4000kg. This kind of rigidity has not been possible until now, and would not have been possible had Robotunits not had valuable experience with traditional construction systems.
Finally, the connectors are compatible with all the extrusions in their group size (50mm connector is also compatible with the 50x100 extrusion, 100x100, 100x200 etc.), meaning that right from the very beginning the designer, purchaser and assembler is handling fewer individual component parts.