Robotics & Automation News

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Walmart testing new warehouse robot from startup Alert Innovation

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Walmart is testing a new warehouse robot called Alphabot, supplied by startup company Alert Innovation, which built the robot for the US retail giant. (See video below.)

Alert is a developer of automated storage and retrieval systems, or ASRS, and something else called automated each-picking system, or AEPS.

A typical complete system Alert supplies includes a large storage shelving unit, along with its Alphabot, which is the only moving part.  [Read more…] about Walmart testing new warehouse robot from startup Alert Innovation

Airbus inaugurates Hamburg’s fourth A320 production line dominated by robots and digital processes

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Airbus has inaugurated the fourth Hamburg, Germany production line for its A320 Family of jet airliners.

Making use of digital technologies and a more flexible industrial setup, Airbus says the “innovative state-of-the-art line is a key enabler for ramping up the single-aisle programme to 60 aircraft per month by mid-2019”.

Frank Horch, Hamburg’s senator of economy, transport and innovation and Thomas Jarzombek, federal government coordinator of German aerospace policy, witnessed the milestone together with Guillaume Faury, president Airbus commercial aircraft, and 500 guests at a special ceremony in Hamburg.  [Read more…] about Airbus inaugurates Hamburg’s fourth A320 production line dominated by robots and digital processes

Extra sensitivity for robotic force sensor

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The Robotiq FT 300 multi-axis torque force sensor, designed specifically for operation with Universal Robots, has had its sensitivity increased tenfold, says UK supplier Raruk Automation.

With plug-and-play integration on all models of Universal Robots, the Robotiq FT 300 performs highly repeatable, precision force control tasks such as finishing, product testing, assembly and precise part insertion. It has a measuring range of ±300N.

Raruk Automation offers the complete range of Robotiq off-the-shelf 2-finger, 3-finger and dual grippers and 6-axis torque force sensor.

[Read more…] about Extra sensitivity for robotic force sensor

Emerson launches ‘industry’s first’ controller designed for automation versatility and IIoT operations

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Emerson has launched what it claims is the industry’s first controller designed for automation versatility and industrial internet of things-enabled operations.

The Emerson DeltaV PK Controller simplifies capital projects and prepares organisations for the operational benefits of IIoT, says the company.

Emerson says the DeltaV PK Controller makes the advanced automation of its DeltaV distributed control system available to fast-growth industries traditionally less reliant on large-scale automation.  [Read more…] about Emerson launches ‘industry’s first’ controller designed for automation versatility and IIoT operations

Yaskawa Motoman launches new software for robots and programmable logic controllers

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Yaskawa Motoman has launched new software for robots and programmable logic controllers – the computing appliances connected to industrial robots.

The MLX300 software option is the newest generation of integration for Yaskawa robots and PLCs.

The MLX300 enables operators to control and program Yaskawa robots in a standard PLC programming environment, eliminating the need to learn a specific robot programming language, says the company.  [Read more…] about Yaskawa Motoman launches new software for robots and programmable logic controllers

ThyssenKrupp tests TeleRetail robots for elevator maintenance logistics

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ThyssenKrupp is testing delivery robots as part of a research project.

The company’s huge elevator business division is evaluating TeleRetail delivery robots to make elevator maintenance safer and more efficient.

The robots were displayed from at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show, where ThyssenKrupp participated as an application partner of TeleRetail.  [Read more…] about ThyssenKrupp tests TeleRetail robots for elevator maintenance logistics

Yaskawa Motoman adds new model to high-speed GP industrial robot series

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Yaskawa Motoman has added a new robot model to its GP series of industrial robots.

Yaskawa says the “efficient, high-speed” Motoman GP25 robot is a new, compact robot that is ideal for assembly, dispensing, handling, material removal and packaging applications.

All axis speeds have been increased, says the company, some by more than 40 per cent, surpassing other robots in its class and delivering increased productivity.  [Read more…] about Yaskawa Motoman adds new model to high-speed GP industrial robot series

Asus prepares global launch of its Zenbo home assistance robot

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Asus is a company that came to prominence is a many people’s minds through its success in what was at the time a new category of computers: the netbook.

Asus did rather well selling netbook computers, which are basically just really small laptops, barely larger than a large smartphone.

But that was back when smartphones didn’t exist in large numbers. When the iPhone came along, and other smartphones, the idea of owning a tiny computer took on a new meaning.  [Read more…] about Asus prepares global launch of its Zenbo home assistance robot

JPMorgan to employ trading robot because it’s more efficient than humans

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One of the world’s largest investment banks, JPMorgan, is preparing to employ a robot to work in its global equities business because it’s shown itself to be more efficient than traditional methods of buying and selling, according to a report on the Financial Times website. 

The artificial intelligence-based algorithm, which is called LOXM, has been tested in the US and Asia over the first quarter of this year, adds the FT.

The newspaper quotes David Fellah, of JPMorgan’s European Equity Quant Research team, as saying the work LOXM will do was previously done by humans, “but now the AI machine is able to do it on a much larger and more efficient scale”.

Schnucks grocery stores give Tally the robot some work to do checking the shelves

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A mobile robot called Tally has got a job at Schnucks grocery stores, where it will wander round the aisles and make mental notes of what products are running low on stock and checking prices. 

Developed by Simbe Robotics, Tally is said to perform the tasks humans might find boring and time-consuming. It can do this while customers are shopping or after the stores close.

Simbe claims Tally is the “world’s first fully autonomous robotic shelf auditing and analytics solution for the retail industry”, and suggests the technology could save some of the $450 billion retailers lose annually through inefficiencies which Tally can help resolve.  [Read more…] about Schnucks grocery stores give Tally the robot some work to do checking the shelves