Mitsubishi Electric MELFA ASSISTA Cobot

Applications: What Can MELFA ASSISTA Do

MELFA ASSISTA is designed for a variety of industrial automation tasks, particularly those involving relatively small components and repetitive operations. With its 5 kg rated payload, six-axis movement, and 910 mm reach, the robot is suitable for applications such as assembly, pick-and-place, material handling, and packaging.

For example, it can pick up components and position them for assembly, transfer items between workstations, or handle products during packaging. Its ±0.03 mm pose repeatability also makes it suitable for tasks requiring consistent positioning.

MELFA ASSISTA can also work with different grippers and vision systems, allowing it to handle a broader range of applications. Mitsubishi Electric offers access to compatible peripherals through its MELFA Robot Partners network.

The robot can be used in industries such as electronics and general manufacturing, where flexible automation and accurate, repetitive movements are important. The exact applications depend on the tooling, configuration, and operating requirements.

Easy Programming and Operation

One of MELFA ASSISTA's main strengths is how easy Mitsubishi Electric has made it to operate and program, including for people without extensive robotics experience.

The robot features operating buttons directly on its arm, allowing users to control and teach movements without relying on a traditional teaching pendant. With its direct teaching function, operators can physically guide the arm to the desired positions and record them for future operations.

Programming is further simplified through Mitsubishi Electric's MELSOFT RT VisualBox software. Instead of writing complicated code, users can create robot programs by arranging visual blocks representing different actions and operations.

The software also supports setting up compatible peripheral devices, such as grippers and vision sensors. For more advanced robot programming and configuration, Mitsubishi Electric's RT ToolBox3 software is another option.

Together, these features help make MELFA ASSISTA easier to introduce into production environments, especially where simple programming and straightforward operation are priorities.

Human-Robot Collaboration and Safety

MELFA ASSISTA was developed to allow humans and robots to work in shared industrial environments. Its design combines collaborative safety functions with physical features intended to reduce risks during operation.

The robot has a rounded arm design to help reduce collision forces, while its joint design provides clearance intended to reduce the risk of fingers or hands becoming trapped. It also uses safety-related monitoring functions, including collision detection, which can stop the robot when specified conditions are detected.

Another useful feature is the multicolour LED indicator on the robot arm, allowing nearby workers to identify its operating status.

Mitsubishi Electric states that MELFA ASSISTA conforms to ISO 10218-1 and ISO/TS 15066, standards relating to industrial robot safety and collaborative robot applications.

These features can support operation without conventional safety fences in suitable applications. However, collaborative does not automatically mean safe without guarding. The complete installation, including the robot's tools, workpieces, operating speeds, and surrounding equipment, must undergo a proper risk assessment before operation.