KMR iisy CR sets standards in the cleanroom

Consisting of a mobile platform and the six-axis LBR iisy CR robot, the KMR iisy CR is an optimal mobile manipulator for work in cleanrooms thanks to its low-particle and low-emission properties and ESD certification. After quick and easy installation, it carries out pick and place applications, material transport or palletizing tasks efficiently and cost-effectively in the warehouse – in semiconductor production as well as in various other areas of the electronics industry.

As part of the certification, the Fraunhofer Institute also confirmed the electrostatic discharge capability as well as the outgassing behavior of the autonomous mobile robot, thus demonstrating its suitability for cleanrooms. Here it can connect any number of stations without the constraints of conventional material transport solutions. It can also quickly switch between different products, enabling small batch sizes at competitive prices.

Pioneering interaction between hardware and software
While the platform relies on the proven, AI-based software solution KUKA.AMR Fleet for fleet management, the robot arm runs on iiQKA.OS2. The scalable and flexibly customizable operating system with a complete Virtual Robot Controller (VRC) is AI-capable, cyber-resilient and, thanks to its compliance with the new ISO 10218 standard, ideally equipped for digital manufacturing of the future. This means that the hardware as well as the supporting software come from KUKA, which enables direct harmonization. The intelligent systems also help to handle demanding tasks in production.

Central fleet management, flexible control and variable operating system
The AMR can be controlled using either the KUKA smartPAD pro or the KUKA smartPLUG, which allows users to connect their own operator devices, such as tablets, via USB interface. A practical feature for control with the smartPAD pro: it can be flexibly removed from the integrated holder. This brings ergonomic advantages for the operator and saves costs, especially for fleets with multiple AMRs, since not every machine requires its own operator device.

The most important product features at a glance:

Optimal cost-benefit ratio for sensitive production
Specially developed seals on all six axes of the robot arm guarantee low particle emissions, as required to comply with ISO cleanroom class 3. Furthermore, the robot consists of materials that are suitable for cleanroom applications in order to keep the outgassing of ammonia or hydrocarbon gases to a minimum. The conductivity of the entire robot is ensured in accordance with DIN EN 61340, so that sensitive components – e.g. wafers – are not damaged by electrostatic discharge. On completion of production, the robot is cleaned again under cleanroom conditions before it is sent on its way to the customer. Special packaging for cleanroom machines ensures that no particle contamination occurs during transportation. The surfaces of the robot are resistant to standard cleaning chemicals.

New standards for semiconductor production
Thanks to flexible conversion options, the KMR iisy CR pays off for both high and low quantities – for example, in the production of semiconductors and electronic components. The applications in which mobile cleanroom robots are used include the safe handling of FOUPs (Front Opening Unified Pods), SMIF PODs and open cassettes. The mobile robot is optionally available with interfaces E82 and E84 standardized for the semiconductor industry, which enables simple integration into an existing material control system.