Robotics & Automation News

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Industrial robots

Productive Robotics launches fourth collaborative robot model

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Productive Robotics has launched a fourth model of its next-generation teachable collaborative robots, the OB7-Stretch.

Productive says the OB7-Stretch is the cobot that customers have been asking for – “simple, affordable, and with a longer reach to handle parts and machines with longer distances”.

OB7-Stretch is similar to the standard OB7 5kg model, but longer with a reach of 1.25 meters and a slightly lower payload of 4kg. [Read more…] about Productive Robotics launches fourth collaborative robot model

ATI partners with 3M to present webinar about material removal tools

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ATI Industrial Automation and 3M will co-present a free webinar, Three Pillars of Successful Material Removal, on Thursday, May 14, 2020 at 12pm ET.

The event, hosted by the Robotics Industries Association, will identify key concepts for successful robotic material removal.

The presentations by Dan Merritt, ATI’s material removal product manager, and Sarah Mullins, 3M global applications engineer, will feature real-world examples of the benefits of robotic material removal and illustrate how common challenges are overcome with the right application design. [Read more…] about ATI partners with 3M to present webinar about material removal tools

How Robots Repair Aging Water Pipes

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Robots are incredibly useful when working in hard-to-reach areas, such as the cramped confines of the municipal water pipes.

But robots can perform the tasks of accessing and repairing these water pipes without facing the challenges that humans usually do.

Many companies are already building robots that can function in areas that are not easily accessible to humans. [Read more…] about How Robots Repair Aging Water Pipes

How to simplify the control architecture of cartesian coordinate robots

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By Barry Weller, product manager at Mitsubishi Electric

In order to remain competitive, it is generally accepted that industries should adopt lean manufacturing strategies to improve process efficiency.

A key action can be to reduce part count, that is to say the number of components in an assembly or system. This is particularly challenging when it comes to highly accurate cartesian coordinate (linear) motion applications.

In these cases, machine builders would often need to use both PLCs and computer numerical controllers (CNCs) in order to fully manage movement within the machine – until now. [Read more…] about How to simplify the control architecture of cartesian coordinate robots

New Universal Robots interface enables ‘fast’ implementation of injection molding applications

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Universal Robots has launched a new interface which it says enables faster implementation of injection molding applications.

With the Injection Molding Machine Interface (IMMI), Universal Robots says it has launched a “user-friendly and quick solution” for plastics manufacturers to integrate Universal Robots with injection molding machines.

Plastics manufacturers are increasingly turning to collaborative robots to tend injection molding machines. [Read more…] about New Universal Robots interface enables ‘fast’ implementation of injection molding applications

4 key questions to ask before getting started with collaborative robots

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By Darrell Adams, head, Southeast Asia and Oceania, Universal Robots

Small and mid-sized manufacturers can be especially hard hit by sudden changes such as economic volatility, intense competitive pressure, seasonal demands or even an unexpected global crisis, like the current Covid-19 pandemic.

When labour requirements increase or decrease drastically, having the ability to ramp up production when demand is high and remain sustainable during downtime is crucial.

For these companies, having a workforce supported by collaborative robots or cobots, would be a dream come true. [Read more…] about 4 key questions to ask before getting started with collaborative robots

Comau establishes ‘highly specialised’ robotic laser labs

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Comau, an industrial automation specialist, has created what it describes as “highly specialized laser laboratories”.

The company says they are designed to support customers as they develop, implement and optimize the laser processes involved in constructing and assembling e-motors and batteries.

Comau now has two labs in Grugliasco, Turin – one specialized in batteries and the other dedicated to e-motors, together with additional labs in Shanghai and Detroit. [Read more…] about Comau establishes ‘highly specialised’ robotic laser labs

Universal Robots launches ‘world’s first’ autonomous bin picking kit for machine tending

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Universal Robots has launched what it says is “the world’s first” autonomous bin picking kit for machine tending applications.

“ActiNav” is a new UR+ application kit for companies of all sizes that, Universal says, simplifies the integration of autonomous bin picking of parts and accurate placement in machines using UR cobots.

ActiNav synchronously handles vision processing, collision-free motion planning and autonomous real-time robot control, eliminating the complexity and risk usually associated with bin picking applications. [Read more…] about Universal Robots launches ‘world’s first’ autonomous bin picking kit for machine tending

HGZN and Hyundai Robotics to build smart factory to manufacture robots in China

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HGZN has partnered with Hyundai Robotics to embark on a project to build smart factory to manufacture robots in Haining, China.

The official groundbreaking ceremony for the “HGZN’s Intelligent Robot Industrialization Project” was held recently at the Economic Development Zone in Haining.

With a strong industrial city as its goal, HGZN – an acronym for Jiangsu Hagong Intelligent Robot Company – is focusing on the smart robot industrialization project. [Read more…] about HGZN and Hyundai Robotics to build smart factory to manufacture robots in China

Fanuc and SICK develop new safety integration for robot machine tending

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A collaboration between Fanuc and SICK has pioneered new safety integration for robot machine tending that points the way towards simpler, more cost-effective and adaptable solutions in future.

ROBOTS excel in heavy, repetitive and high-speed tasks, far surpassing humans in their repeatable, reliable performance.

For this reason, the manual operation of machine tending – ubiquitous throughout manufacturing industry – has become a prime candidate for robotic automation. [Read more…] about Fanuc and SICK develop new safety integration for robot machine tending