The ABB IRB 6400 is one of the most installed robots in the world. They have been used by most of the major automotive manufacturers for nearly 15 years. They have an excellent reputation for reliability and capability and as such are the industry standard. Based on the very successful IRB 6000 model the IRB 6400 has many of the same characteristics. It is modular in construction and as standard the 6400 has 120kg capacity and 2.4m reach but there are several types available with capacities up to 200kg and reach up to 3.0m. The main advance with the 6400 over the 6000 was the S4 robot controller which uses the ABB RAPID programming language which is very powerful and gives the programmer many possibilities. The S4 controller was also a major step forward in robot accuracy, specifically the path accuracy. This means the robot moves in a predictable, reliable way and makes programming complex movements straightforward. The S4C controller is a further develpoment of the S4, the "C" stands for compact and indeed this type of controller is substantially smaller and lower than the original S4. Although much of the computer system remained the same some updates were made to both hardware and software, especially on the later M98 S4C.
The robot arm uses epicyclic (planetary) gearboxes for the major axis and is both simple and reliable. It should be noted that the arm is also very rugged and is less vulnerable to damage than many of its competitors. The robot is entirely powered by ac servo motors, the "rams" on the side of the arms are not hydraulic or pneumatic, they are simply enclosed mechanical springs. The springs and weight on the back of the robot make it very well balanced meaning the forces required to move the robot are remarkably small. Life expectancy or MTBF (mean time between failure) is largely dependant on service practises (once a year is normal) but we expect 6400's to last for at least 100,000 hours. Having said this we have seen very good examples with much more than this. The S4C 6400 uses Siemens motors rather than the elmo units used on the M94 S4 6400 and in turn has different gearboxes - otherwise they are the same.
These are the main types of S4C controlled IRB 6400 model, prices can depend on the availability of a certain model, for example the 3.0m reach is comparatively rare:
| Payload | Reach | Notes |
| 120kg | 2.4m | The standard IRB 6400 model |
| 150kg | 2.4m | Fitted with uprated axis 4 motor and modified parameters - some axis slightly slower |
| 200kg | 2.4m | Fitted with larger balance weight and modified parameters - some axis slightly slower |
| 120kg | 2.8m | Fitted with 404mm extension in the upper arm and modified parameters to give increased reach - at the expense of payload and lower speed |
| 75kg | 3.0m | Fitted with 606mm extension in the upper arm and modified parameters to give even more reach - at the expense of payload and lower speed |
| 75kg | 2.25m | The IRB 6400PE "poke robot" designed to apply pressures up to 5000N has slightly shorter top arm, no balance weight and uprated motors |
| 120kg | 2.9m | The IRB 6400S "shelf robot" designed to work below itself has a different module above axis 1 that changes the angle of the rest of the arm |
The IRB 6400 arm and controller are both protected to IP54 with the wrist getting additional protection to IP55 this means that the robot is well suited to industrial environments. It should also be noted that there are also foundry or 6400F versions of all of the above types (except the 6400PE). The Foundry versions have a special non stick paint finish and increased IP ratings - IP55 for the arm and IP67 for the wrist.
The PE or "poke" version of the 6400 is specifically developed for spot welding where the robot itself must apply the force of the spot weld. This makes the robot slightly less balanced than a standard model giving a lower payload. However the PE excels in applications where there are significant pressures and loading on the robot such as milling and grinding.
The S4C controller is well regarded for its stability and reliability and has a very fast boot up time, much faster than many current models giving minimum downtime. Normally supplied with one I/O card giving 16 inputs and 16 outputs it can be fitted with many more if needed. Analogue I/O is also available.The controller can also work as a PLC by controlling and monitoring I/O signals. Up to 3 background programs (for monitoring signals for example) can be run in parallel with the actual robot program and even when the robot program has stopped. Outputs can be set at a specific time or distance before a programmed position and can be executed concurrent to the robot motion. The controller also has built in dual chain (0V and +24V) safety circuits meaning that the robot can be run without the need for extra emergency stop relays etc. Another benefit of the S4C controller over the S3 or S4 is that it is much easier to feed with data, it can easily be used with programs supplied buy our CAD-CAM software system that converts CAD models into robot paths. The S4C also has an ethernet connection option.
The IRB 6400 is employed by the hundred around the world in a multitude of applications including spot welding, MIG welding, palletising, handling, pick and place, machine tending, milling, woodworking, cutting, de-burring, plastics, even NON EX painting and spraying applications. Now available on the used market at very reasonable prices the IRB 6400 is a fantastically useful robot. Our IRB 6400s are supplied complete with the arm, control cabinet (including I/O), cables and teach pendant. We clean, test and repaint them before shipping and if you need manuals we can provide them. Most of the ones we supply will have around 20,000 hours but this can vary - we are more focused on the robot's background and overall condition.
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Control: |
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S4C |
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Capacity: |
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75 to 200kg |
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Reach: |
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2.25 to 3.0m |
