Heavy-duty material handling in metal fabrication plants has traditionally relied on overhead cranes, forklifts, or manual labor—each carrying inherent limitations. Cranes require operator presence and introduce swing-induced positioning variability. Forklifts occupy floor space and present collision risks. Manual handling of plates weighing up to 1000kg creates injury exposure and quality inconsistency. The Herochu heavy-duty automatic servo swing arm robot for material handling delivers an alternative: fixed-position automation that handles the full weight range with servo precision and failsafe safety.
Load Capacity and Structural Integrity
The Herochu R-series covers payload capacities from 300kg to 1000kg, with plate formats up to 4000×2000mm. The vertical column is constructed from heavy-gauge steel with reinforced welds, designed to maintain rigidity under maximum load without deflection that could affect positioning accuracy. The cantilever arm geometry provides 2800mm of horizontal reach, allowing a single unit to serve a raw material rack on one side and a processing machine on the other without repositioning the base column.
The modular assembly structure supports on-site reconfiguration. If production needs shift—a new machine is added, or the material flow direction reverses—the arm and column can be disassembled and rebuilt without factory return. This design also reduces shipping volume and storage footprint during changeovers.
Suction Tooling for Heavy Plates
Heavy plate handling demands a suction array that distributes force and maintains grip even when the material surface is not perfectly flat. The HC-R3015-1000 configuration uses 118 suction cups of 250mm diameter, creating a distributed gripping surface that supports large, thin sheets without sagging. Smaller models use 15 cups of 150mm or 200mm diameter, appropriate for lighter and smaller plates.
Each cup operates with an independent open/close valve, and all cups are spring-loaded to conform to surface variations. The SNS pneumatic system regulates pressure to maintain consistent holding force regardless of fluctuations in the plant air supply.
The integrated sheet separation function prevents double-plate pickup—a critical protection when handling heavy plates where a falling second sheet could cause serious injury or equipment damage.
Servo Motion Control
The swing arm and lifting axes are driven by servo motors under closed-loop control. Acceleration and deceleration are programmable, allowing the operator to select motion profiles appropriate to the material. For heavy plates, a controlled acceleration profile reduces inertial load on the structure and minimizes material swing. For lighter plates where cycle time is the priority, a faster profile increases throughput without compromising safety.
Repeatability is ±0.1mm on high-precision configurations, enabling the robot to deliver plates to fixture locations or machine tables with the consistency required for automated downstream processes.
Safety Systems
Power-off and air-off protection: The vacuum system holds material for at least five minutes after utility loss. Check valves and a vacuum reservoir maintain grip; a controlled bleed prevents sudden release after the hold period.
Emergency stop braking: Spring-applied, electrically released brakes engage automatically on any power interruption, securing the arm and load.
Bilingual labeling: Safety warnings, maintenance labels, and operation instructions use Chinese and English. Button function identifiers are bilingual, supporting diverse workforces.
Pneumatic line identification: All gas pipes use blue (intake) and red/orange (output) color coding. Every connector is labeled for correct identification during maintenance.
Control and Integration
The Omron CNC control platform supports manual and automatic operating modes. In manual mode, technicians can jog individual axes for setup or troubleshooting. In automatic mode, the PLC executes the full pick-rotate-place-return sequence. The touch screen communicates with the PLC via network cable, and the control system supports dry-contact I/O or fieldbus communication with downstream machine controllers—enabling the robot to receive “ready” signals from laser cutters, press brakes, or welding cells and trigger loading cycles automatically.
Installation is supervised by Herochu technical engineers who perform on-site calibration to the specific material mix and layout of each facility.
Technical Summary:
- Models: HC-R3015-300 / HC-R3015-500 / HC-R4015-500
- Sheet dimensions: 3000×1500mm / 4000×1500mm
- Max load: 300kg / 500kg / 1000kg
- Rotation angle: ±60 degrees
- Lifting stroke: 700mm
- Applicable materials: carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum
- Control: Omron CNC, bilingual interface
