Industrial automation and robotics company Comau debuted its new S-Family of “small yet powerful” robots at Automate 2024 – North America’s leading automation show. The event took place from May 6 to 9, in Chicago.

The first two high-speed robots, with payloads of 13 kg and up to 18 kg, are expressly indicated for assembly, arc welding and handling applications where accuracy, repeatability and speed are non-negotiable.

Characterised by their exacting performance and historical red robot design, they also reflect Comau’s dedication to making automation more accessible to diverse and non-automotive industries. The compact, robust and versatile robots can easily access small spaces and tight areas that are difficult to reach with other robots.

Additionally, because they are highly energy efficient – as certified in accordance with Fraunhofer procedure instruction – the S-Family of six-axis articulated robots help companies achieve higher production quality and better performance with reduced energy consumption and costs.

S-Family robots are “perfect for applications requiring extreme accuracy and speed, while ensuring full protection from elements including water, dust and other contaminants”. With their best-in-class protective IP68 hollow-wrist design, the electrical and auxiliary cabling runs inside the wrist, which allows the robots to enjoy greater agility while reducing the risk of damage.

Further, they are the only robots to feature fully-integrated arc and gigabit dressings, which help remove layout constraints, make assembly and installation easy, ensure faster response times and significantly reduce cable kinking, breakage and subsequent maintenance costs.

Consequently, in addition to automating welding, handling, foundry, automotive and battery manufacturing processes, the S-Family can be easily used for food and beverage, and general assembly applications. Finally, the robots can be mounted on the floor, wall or ceiling to optimise space without sacrificing performance.

“Comau’s new S-Family of small, high-speed robots combines efficiency and technical excellence with the features and functionality required for effective deployment within new markets and dedicated application areas,” explains Comau advance automation solutions chief business unit leader Nicole Clement.

“Our commitment to making automation [solutions] easier to install and use – especially within non-automotive markets where automation is growing fast – is yet another way Comau is bringing the power of automation to an increasingly diverse sector of industries and applications,” she adds.

The S-Family robots are available in two different payload configurations with a 1 700 mm reach and a repeatability of about 0.03 mm.