Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for June 9, 2016

Kuka synchronises several monster industrial robots to lift giant steel beams

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Kuka synchronised several of its KR 1000 titan industrial robots for some co-ordinated heavy-lifting of some rather large steel beams 

A total of six Kuka heavy-duty robots were used for stacking heavy steel beams at Mannstædt ready for onward transportation. With a few exceptions, the use of robots in steel production had previously been uncharted territory. 

Mannstædt is a manufacturer of steel products. Based in Troisdorf in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the company produces what it calls “tailor-made special profiles”.

Used in the automotive industry and port construction, for example, the steel profiles can weigh up to 2.5 tonnes at a length of up to 26 meters.  [Read more…] about Kuka synchronises several monster industrial robots to lift giant steel beams

Siemens technology boss says digitization ‘one of the biggest growth drivers’

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siemens digital transformation 1

Professor Siegfried Russwurm, chief technology officer at Siemens, says digital transformation is opening up great opportunities

The world has never been as networked as it is now. Whether in gas turbines, trains, manufacturing facilities or medical imaging technologies, our reality is taking on a digital dimension.

Digital change is sounding the bell for a paradigm change – in business as well as private life. As one of the world’s leading companies in digitalization, Siemens is playing an active part in this development. We’ve set a clear focus and identified digitalization as one of the biggest growth drivers to carry us into a successful future.

Even today, Siemens’ worldwide workforce includes about 17,500 software engineers, who contribute a wide range of industry-specific IT and software solutions to their work in electrification, automation and urban infrastructures. [Read more…] about Siemens technology boss says digitization ‘one of the biggest growth drivers’

Panasonic showcases industrial products including power-assist robots

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Panasonic’s “Power Assist Device” supports air hammer forging process in Makoto Industries
Panasonic’s “power assist device” supports human worker at air hammer forging at processing plant in Makoto Industries

Panasonic demonstrated its robotic exoskeleton – which it calls power assist devices or suits – and its latest solutions for industrial power electronics applications at PCIM Europe 2016

Panasonic Automotive & Industrial Systems Europe has showcased its technology lineup, highlighting innovations such as passive components, semiconductors and thermal management solutions, as well as its robotic exoskeletons.

The company says its products provide “increased efficiency and reliability for a wide range of applications”.  [Read more…] about Panasonic showcases industrial products including power-assist robots

Rethink Robotics signs up 10 new partners in eight months

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Rethink Robotics’ Baxter and Sawyer collaborative robots
Rethink Robotics’ Baxter and Sawyer collaborative robots

Rethink Robotics says it has reached partnership agreements with 10 separate companies in seven different countries in the past eight months.

Rethink, which makes collaborative robots it gives human names like “Baxter” and “Sawyer”, recently arranged inaugural global channel partner summit in Boston which was attended by more than 30 of its partner companies.

The companies discussed market trends in the rapidly growing collaborative robotics industry at the summit, which was the first meet of its kind for the group. [Read more…] about Rethink Robotics signs up 10 new partners in eight months

Schunk extends industrial toolholder range for micromachining

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Schunk Tribos-Mini and Tribos-RM precision toolholder
Schunk Tribos-Mini and Tribos-RM precision toolholder

Schunk, a provider of clamping and gripping technology for robots among other industrial products, has extended its toolholder program for micromachining.

The company says the expansion of its Tribos toolholder series in such a way as to make them “available quicker and at a lower price.

For the medical technology, optics, micro-mold making and watch and jewelry industries to achieve accuracy in the sub-micron range, toolholders must have extreme balancing grades.

Schunk says it has simplified and standardised what was “previously only possible with great effort”.  [Read more…] about Schunk extends industrial toolholder range for micromachining