www.comau.com Comau has announced the release of its Comau Next Generation Programming Platform, a protocol that implements the Uniform Robotics Data Interface (URDI) communications standard to simplify robot programming.

This implementation facilitates the complete integration of Comau’s robot family with the Siemens Simatic Robot Library, ‘significantly reducing complexity within machine automation’.

Comau says that operators in any industry sector can now easily program one or more Comau robots via the “Siemens ecosystem they currently use for other applications and processes. The interface also delivers tangible cost and time savings, given that all automation products and cells can be managed without the need for specific competence in robotics programming.

“As such, companies can boost their efficiency and productivity without facing a challenging learning curve, which further reduces automation barriers for clients that have a consolidated use of the Siemens PLC and now want to introduce articulated robots.”

Working with a major automotive customer, Comau has been able to reduce configuration and programming costs by 30% using its robot controller with the Siemens Simatic Robot Library.

“Beyond automotive, applications include everything from end-of-line processes, pick-and-place, the management of boxing and palletising operations to logistics and more. Another important benefit is the ability to virtually program Comau’s robots with the Siemens virtual PLC controller as a single operation, thereby enabling end users and systems integrators to perfect the programming sequence, download the program onsite and immediately begin running the robot.”