Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for March 14, 2018

Schunk introduces programmable magnetic switches for gripping systems

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Schunk is now offering a freely programmable and universally applicable magnetic switch with ATEX certification for device group II, category 2 for monitoring gripping systems in potentially explosive areas.

The MMS 22-PI1-EX has a freely programmable switching point and detects a magnet inside of the actuator. It can be placed directly in the C-slot of the gripping or rotary modules with no interfering contours.

Instead of time-consuming mechanical adjustment of the switching point, the magnetic sensor can be programmed in just a few steps. The required magnetic teaching tool is included in the scope of delivery.

An optional plug-in teaching tool is also available. The corresponding switching condition is indicated on an LED display. Thanks to the standard plug connector, the sensor can be easily connected with standardized connection cables.

New ABB motor-starting solution introduces tool-free, push-in wiring

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ABB is launching the industry’s first range of motor-starting solutions with a push-in spring technology that makes fault-free wiring easier. The innovative tool-free connection concept speeds up wiring work and provides a vibration-resistant connection that makes continuous operation more reliable.

ABB’s intuitive 2-in-1 design combines the advantages of both Push-in and Spring technology in a single terminal.

In Push-in mode, rigid cables or cables with ferrules can be connected tool-free. The operator just pushes them into the cable holes, cutting wiring time by up to 50 percent in comparison to a conventional spring solution and making installation easier.

[Read more…] about New ABB motor-starting solution introduces tool-free, push-in wiring

Automatica 2018: Innovative automation solutions in plastics, foodstuffs and packaging

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Leading automation companies will be at automatica in Munich, Germany, from June 19 to 22, 2018. Visitors from industries such as food and beverages, plastics and packaging will find numerous innovative automation solutions and have the opportunity to exchange ideas with experts.

Companies from the fields of plastics, foodstuffs and packaging are increasingly employing innovative automation to improve their competitive position. Compared to the pioneering automobile industry, however, these three industry sectors have some catching up to do.

The great economic importance of automation technology can be felt on a global level: According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), more than 1.7 million new industrial robots will be installed in factories all over the world by the year 2020, which will increase global inventory to more than three million units.

[Read more…] about Automatica 2018: Innovative automation solutions in plastics, foodstuffs and packaging

Healthy ways to work at your desk using the best digital helpers

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If you spend long hours in front of your computer as a part of your work, you certainly know how exhausting it may actually be.

Very often, people whose jobs involve physical work envy those who work at their desks, but there is really nothing to envy.

Physical injuries and other health issues emerge as a result of lengthy sessions in front of a computer.  [Read more…] about Healthy ways to work at your desk using the best digital helpers

Sositar Mould celebrates 20th year in the injection moulding business

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Injection molding, in principle, is a simple process. It involves designing a mold which contains a cavity in the shape of the product that has been designed. 

That product is often produced in plastic, which is initially melted and passed into the mold’s cavity.

Once cooled, the solid-state part is removed from the mold, and there you have it – the plastic part that you had originally designed.  [Read more…] about Sositar Mould celebrates 20th year in the injection moulding business