JAN. 2–ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. –FANUC Robotics has introduced the LR Mate 200iB cleanroom robot, the latest in a line of cleanroom products the company has offered since 1984.

The LR Mate 200iB cleanroom robot has six degrees of freedom, and a cleanliness rating of ISO Class 4 conditions, and ISO Class 5 in all other conditions.

According to Joseph Portelli, electronic industry manager of FANUC, the LR Mate 200oB new is an ideal material handler for a wide range of industries including laboratory automation, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, optical/magnetic media, flat panel displays, clean injection molding, and others where particle emissions and grease leakage must be tightly controlled.

The new robot uses the new R-J3iB Mate mini-robot controller, and it can handle an equally wide range of applications including assembly, packing, packaging, dispensing, machine tending, parts cleaning, testing and sampling. Compared to previous models, this next-generation LR Mate mini-robot offers a 67 percent increase in maximum payload, from 3 kg to 5 kg, and a 33 percent increase in wrist moment.

“We’ve achieved these enhancements without increasing the size of the mechanical unit,” says Portelli. “Compactness is key in clean manufacturing facilities because of the high construction and operating expenses associated with cleanrooms. Our design criteria mandated a very small footprint and thin profile.”