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Mirka launches first smart electric sander

Mirka has launched the ‘Arios’, the first smart electric sander for robotic sanding applications.

Integrated with OEMs’ robotic systems or collaborative robots, the electric sander can carry out intensive, high workload sanding, where precision and minimal maintenance is critical.

The brand says the Arios will spearhead the world’s first patent-pending ‘Automated Industrial Programme’, which was recently launched by Mirka.

The launch of Mirka’s Automated Industrial Programme marks years of development in partnership with major vehicle manufacturers in the automotive and transport industries.

Mirka boasts its specialist expertise was requested to provide a more advanced electric sanding head optimised for robots used in a variety of applications such as the manufacture of vehicles and Tier 1 components. It is currently being piloted by a range of industry sectors, Mirka says.

The Mirka Automated Industrial Programme is a combination of hardware and consumables for a robotic solution for customers, including the dedicated Arios sanding head and a wide range of abrasives, and it comes with 75 years of Mirka technical knowledge, R&D and experience in the abrasives industry.

Mats Bystedt, portfolio manager at Mirka, says: “Our advanced Automated Industrial Programme can be integrated into two different categories of robots – from the simple to programme and growing “cobot” or collaborative robot, to the more industrial robot models – and it can be installed very easily, without requiring special tooling, to provide total control over the RPM and steering.

“Pneumatic tools that are usually used do not have that level of control, which can lead to ‘over-sanding’ in sensitive areas. Our solution ensures measurement and precision are paramount, providing consistent quality and process optimisation.”

He adds: “Arios is the only specially designed, most compact, lightweight sanding head available on the market that can cater to virtually all robotic systems.

“The pilot customers with which we have developed this programme have also said that it requires far less maintenance and replacement parts than previous products they have been using.”