Fanuc launches lightweight collaborative welding robot for flexible automation

Fanuc has announced the European launch of its CRX-3iA collaborative robot, the lightest and smallest model in the CRX portfolio to date.

With a total weight of just 11 kg, Fanuc's latest offering is compact, portable, intuitive and precise, making it ideal for welding applications.

Addressing growing demand in sectors such as shipbuilding and steel construction, it can be carried easily with just one hand, allowing a single person to supervise multiple welding locations and mitigating the Europe-wide shortage of skilled welders.

Boasting a 3 kg payload, the CRX-3iA can manipulate a welding torch and a seam-tracking sensor simultaneously, while its ±0.02 mm repeatability delivers the precision necessary for critical welding tasks.

It automatically detects its installation angle after relocation and identifies weld seam locations and calculates paths accordingly, thanks to a third-party laser scanner or touch sensor. Meanwhile, an optional magnetic base enables it to be secured directly to large steel structures.

This reduces system complexity compared with traditional robot installations, which typically need heavier equipment and additional safeguarding measures.

As part of the wider CRX series – which extends to 30 kg payload and 1,756 mm reach – the CRX-3iA integrates fully with Fanuc's established control and software ecosystem.

It also incorporates Fanuc wrist button technology, which allows operators to guide and teach positions directly from the robot arm, streamlining programming and shortening changeover times.

Beyond welding, the CRX-3iA is ideally suited to applications such as intralogistics and mobile automation. Its compact footprint and low mass also make it ideal for mounting on an automated guided vehicle (AGV), where it can support picking, placing and line supply tasks.

In addition, it lends itself well to education and training environments, where space constraints often render the use of traditional industrial robots impractical.

"Manufacturers need automation that adapts to their environment, not the other way around," says Paul Ribus, Fanuc's head of sales coordination Europe.

"With the CRX-3iA, we focused on portability, fast deployment and high repeatability. It allows customers to take advantage of collaborative welding and handling wherever the work is, without complex installation."

Visitors to Fanuc's Open House will be able to see the new CRX-3iA collaborative robot first hand when it makes its debut appearance in the UK on 3rd/4th November.