These robots provide new options for modern manufacturing. From creating detailed molds for the plastic industry to beautiful works of art, robotic milling manufacturers have opened new doors to increase the productivity of the milling process. This is the reason why milling robots are widely being used in industries. 

If you want to buy a milling robot and still remain strict with your budget then you should go for used milling robots as you will be able to get good quality robots at cheaper prices.  

Basics of Robots Milling 

The process of milling has existed for decades but still, the application of industrial robots to this task has been a relatively new occurrence. The barriers to entry have lowered significantly because of the prevalence of 3D slicing software. CAD/CAM software for robots has been introduced for simulation, verification, and tool path coordination for the milling process. This is the reason why it has become easier to translate 3D designs into code for the robot to follow.

The essential components required for milling include: 

■ Safety Guarding

■ Machine tooling and spindle

■ Workpiece jig

■ Robot hardware

Robotic Milling vs. CNC Machining 

1. Cost  

One of the biggest advantages of using milling robots is that their costs are lower as compared to CNC machines. The cost of the robots depends on the application. Milling robots can be roughly 30-70% of the cost of a CNC machine.  

A medium-sized milling robot ranges from $60,000 - $120,000 after the integration. There is a lot of variation because of the particulars of individual applications. This is the reason why milling robots can provide a more cost-efficient alternative when budgets are tight, and profit margins are narrow.  

2. Flexibility  

Flexibility is the most essential feature of robots for most applications. CNC machines are built for the purpose of a small number of specific applications. One of the main purposes of robots is that they can be redeployed for a variety of different tasks. For example, a robot can be easily moved from a small milling task to a large one in cases of emergency.  

On the other hand, CNC machines are restricted in size by their construction. CNC Robots cannot be redeployed to other tasks in cases of emergency. For example, CNC robot machines can only work where it's already been deployed. 

3. Precision 

CNC machines are better at offering precision as compared to milling robots due to their rigid construction. CNC machines have the capability to easily achieve sub-micron performance levels. It may not be feasible to use a milling robot because of certain types of applications. Milling robots demand the strictest tolerances in manufacturing for high-end aerospace components.  

This is the reason why sometimes there is no real choice between CNC and robotics here. Other times, the components that have more lax tolerances offer an opportunity to use milling robots. It is important for you to make sure to consider your application's demands carefully when choosing between a CNC and a robot. 

Conclusion

The use of milling robots has increased significantly over the past few years because of the amazing benefits that it provides in different industries. Milling robots have a very flexible approach when it comes to large capital equipment. A robot with a linear track is also widely used because of the amount of weight it can handle. They are available in different sizes and payload categories.