Abstract: At present, the ingots from the fire refined mold casting wheel are taken and arranged manually to make the fire refined bundles. The tasks associated to this procedure are characterized by the exposure to the personnel to harsh environmental conditions. In the medium and long term, this could generate serious occupational diseases to the operators in charge of developing this task. Due to the above, a robot system and method have been developed to automate fire refined bundling. The robotic system is composed mainly of a robotic manipulator of at least 5 degrees of freedom (1) which is mounted on a fixed and/or mobile system (2) and provided with a gripping mechanism (3) to take, manipulate and release an ingot (4) for fire refined bundling (5). In this regard, most of the problems associated to the safety of the people and to the productivity of the current manual process are eliminated.

Abstract: In the smelting process, the electric furnace is intended to treat the slag from other furnaces. The slag loading of the electric furnace is carried out using a ladle which cools down after unloading the slag which is adhered to the ladle making it difficult to reload the furnace. For this reason, the ladle must be cleaned on a regular basis. Due to the above, a robot system and method have been developed to clean the electric furnace ladle, which is capable of carrying out such activity automatically through the use of a robotic manipulator. The robotic system is composed mainly of an anthropomorphous robotic manipulator of at least 6 degrees of freedom (1), and one cleaning tool (2) which allows to clean the ladle (3) each time the furnace is loaded (4).

Abstract: At present, cathode washing presents some disadvantages such as the fact the fixed nozzles impact all the face with the same strength and the range is limited, among other things. A robot system and robotic method for the automatic washing of cathodes have been developed. The robotic system is composed mainly of a robotic manipulator (1) of at least 6 degrees of freedom and a gripping mechanism (2) which allows to take a pressurized hot water and/or vapor injection device (3), from a tool holder rack located at one of its sides, by moving it through a defined path to the washing unit, where in a synchronized way with the take off carousel the washing process will take place, in a sequential and programmed way through the application of pressurized hot water and/or vapor to a number of cathodes faces to be defined (4). In this regard, the washing of cathodes will be carried out by using a robotic system which will be connected to the existing pressure vapor and hot water lines.

Abstract: At present, the elimination of burrs has the disadvantage of being carried out manually or in a semiautomatic way which causes the system to be less efficient. Also, the anode surface inspection as it is carried out today has the disadvantage of being visual (by the personnel) in many cases and with low levels of application of advanced vision technologies. Due to the above, a robot system and method have been developed to carry out the elimination process of burrs and the inspection of anode surfaces in an automatic way. The robotic system is composed mainly of a robotic manipulator (1) of at least 4 degrees of freedom, and a gripping mechanism (2) which allows to take the burr (3) elimination device from a tool holder located at one of its sides, and move it through a defined path to the anode (4), in which a burr elimination process will take place, in a sequential and programmed way, to a certain number of edges and/or faces of the anodes (4) to be defined.

Abstract: As a final stage of the current copper production process, the cathodes are inspected and sampled to determine its quality. Based on the inspection and the sampling the cathodes are selected and arranged according to the different qualities. Currently the inspection and selection of the cathodes in the loading site is carried out manually, which means that the operators must inspect and manipulate one by one the cathodes produced by the plant which requires a high physical effort and a great amount of labor force. Due to the above, a robot system and method have been developed for the selection and manipulation of cathodes in the site.

Abstract: At present, concentrate sampling in trucks and transportation carts is carried out manually and the disadvantage of this is the fact that the system is less efficient as a result of the less representativeness of the samples obtained. Due to the above, a robot system and method have been developed which are able to carry out the sampling in trucks and carts for concentrate transportation in an automated way in order to ensure the representativeness of sampling by improving the control over the product to be commercialized. The robotic system is composed mainly of a robotic manipulator of at least 5 degrees of freedom, and a gripping mechanism which allows to take the sampling device from a tool holder Located at one of its sides, moving them through a defined path to the sampling area where the sampling process over a mesh to be defined will take place in a sequential and programmed way in concentrate transportation trucks and/or carts.

Abstract: At present, the discharge of slag and/or matte from smelting furnaces is being carried out manually. One of the major disadvantages of all the activities associated to the slag and/or matte discharge is the fact the personnel is exposed to harsh environmental conditions. In the medium and long term, this could generate serious occupational diseases to the operators in charge of carrying out the discharge. Due to the above, a robot system and/or method have been developed for the discharge of slag and/or matte from the smelting furnaces which include: a flash furnace, teniente converter, pierce smith converter, reverbatory furnace, electrical furnace, blast furnace among others. The robot system and method is composed mainly of an anthropomorphous robotic manipulator of at least 5 degrees of freedom and a gripping mechanism to take several tools for tapping and punching the smelting furnace, taking samples from channels and cleaning the smelting furnace channels.

Abstract: At present, the different electrometallurgical processes in which there are a lot of cathodes and/or base plates movement constantly requires transfer stations to pass from one chain to another, from one equipment to another or for a change in direction. At present, transfer stations are composed of hydraulic mechanisms with low availability and high maintenance costs. Due to the above, a robot system and method have been developed to move and guide the base plates and cathodes synchronized with different equipments or mechanisms replacing the current transfer stations. The robotic system is composed mainly by a robotic manipulator (1) of at least 5 degrees of freedom, and a gripping mechanism (2) which allows to take and release the base plates and/or cathodes according to a programmed logic.

Abstract: At present, the cathode stripping process as it is carried out today presents the disadvantage of being carried out manually or through equipment specially designed for this task, but inevitably it requires human intervention whether for stripping or classification. Due to the above a robot system has been developed to automate the process of cathode stripping process. The robotic system is composed mainly of a robotic manipulator (1) of at least 5 degrees of freedom, and a gripping mechanism (2) which allows to take a cathode, (3) from a feeding rack (4) located at one of its sides, and which moves the cathodes through a defined path to the stripping station (5), where synchronized with the carousel the cathode (3) stripping method from the base plate will take place in a sequential and programmed way through different operations of hammering, bending and separation.

Abstract: At present, the maintenance of base plates in electrometallurgical processes is carried out manually which increases the maintenance costs and decreases the quality and the useful life of the base plates. Due to the above, a robot system and method have been developed for the polishing and replacement of base plates insulation in an automated way. The robotic system is composed mainly of a robotic manipulator (1) of at least 5 degrees of freedom, and a gripping mechanism (2) which allows to take the polishing device (3), also the system has a second robotic manipulator (4) that a gripping mechanism (5) replaces the base plates insulations.

Abstract: At present, the flash furnace due to an increase in fusion forms accretions in the burner which causes that the “air umbrella” does not develop and in order to clean it manually the load must be lowered for safety reasons. One of the major disadvantages of all the tasks associated to the cleaning process is the exposure of the personnel to harsh environmental conditions. This in the medium and long term could generate serious occupational diseases to the operators in charge of carrying out such activity. Due to the above, a robot system and method have been developed for the automated cleaning of the burner thus minimizing the decrease of the load. The robotic system is composed mainly of an anthropomorphous robotic manipulator of at least 5 degrees of freedom, and a gripping mechanism which allows to take, manipulate and release several tools from a tool holder to carry out the cleaning process of the smelting furnace.

Abstract: At present, the reposition of base plates in the electrochemical process, as a result of the rejection which takes place in the cathode stripping machine system, is carried out manually or using mechanical equipment, which implies a loss in the efficiency of the stripping system, high exposure to risk associated to the removal of plates and additional labor force being used to replace these plates to the productive processes. Due to the above, a robot system and a robotic method have been developed for the reposition and/or removal of base plates from cathode stripping machines.

Abstract: At present, ball loading into SAG mills should be carried out as part of the maintenance procedure that SAG mills should be subjected to. The disadvantage of this procedure is that the automatic dosing unit regularly clogs, and it must be loaded manually. Similarly, the low storage capacity requires the continuous use of the crane. Due to the above, a robot system and method have been developed which are able to carry out this task automatically, in order to automate the ball loading operation in SAG mills by reducing the time used for maintenance. The robotic system is composed mainly of a robotic manipulator (1) of at least 5 degrees of freedom, and a grip mechanism (2) which allows, in a sequential and programmed way, to take, manipulate and release, from a ball holder rack (3) located at one of its sides, a certain number of grinding balls to be defined later (4), which are moved through a defined path to the inside of the SAG mill (5) in which they are deposited.