🤖 FANUC CRX for Machine Tending: Lightweight, safe and ideal for CNC

Introduction: Changing the Game for CNC Machines

Machine tools (CNC, presses, injection molding machines) only make money when their spindle is spinning. Manual loading and unloading of parts is an inefficient waste of skilled operators' time and, above all, a bottleneck preventing the use of night shifts.

FANUC CRX (Collaborative Robot eXpress) is a modern solution to this problem. It is a lightweight and safe cobot designed by the Japanese giant primarily with easy integration and flexibility in mind, making it an ideal choice for machine tending automation.

Main part: Why does CRX dominate Machine Tending?

Solutions for operating CNC machines must above all be quick to install and easy to program. FANUC CRX excels in these areas.

• 1. Security and easy integration
  Unlike traditional yellow FANUC industrial robots, the CRX cobot is designed to operate alongside a human.

  No cage: CRX has safety sensors that will stop it immediately upon contact with a person. After proper risk analysis, it does not require a massive safety fence, saving both workshop space and integration costs.

  Plug & Play: Thanks to its low weight, the robot can be easily moved between machines and quickly reconfigured.

• 2. Intuitive programming (Walk-through teaching)
  Programming is the biggest barrier for small and medium-sized businesses. With CRX, this barrier is removed:

  Manual guidance: The operator does not need to write code. They simply grab the CRX arm and manually guide it to the points the robot is supposed to repeat (e.g., Grab Part, Open CNC Door, Insert Part).

  Tablets: An intuitive touch interface on a tablet is used, which significantly reduces the time needed to changeover to a new workpiece type.

• 3. Suitable models and applications
  CRX offers different models according to load capacity, which is key for Machine Tending:

  CRX-10iA/L: Models with a reach of up to 1418 mm and a load capacity of 10 kg. These parameters are ideal for operating most standard CNC milling machines and lathes where deep reach into the machine (up to the spindle or chuck) is required.

  Double gripper: For maximum efficiency, the CRX is often equipped with a double gripper. While one jaw holds the finished part, the other jaw is already setting up a new blank, minimizing the time the machine spindle is stationary.

Economic benefit: Return on investment (ROI)

CNC machine operation is a typical application with the fastest payback for FANUC CRX.

• Non-stop operation: The cobot can feed parts to the machine even during the night shift without an operator. This means 16 hours of extra machine time per day, tripling the overall efficiency (OEE) of an expensive CNC machine.
• Increased capacity: The return on investment (ROI) for a complete cell with CRX and accessories is often less than 12 months due to the dramatic increase in production.

Conclusion: A solution that can already speak Czech

FANUC CRX provides engineering companies with an affordable, secure and easy-to-program solution to eliminate the biggest bottleneck – human machine operation. Its speed of deployment and ability to operate 24/7 make it one of the leaders in collaborative Machine Tending.

Want to find out how FANUC CRX could feed your CNC machine even at night? Contact us for an optimal cell design and ROI calculation.