Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Industrial robots

ABB to showcase robotic innovations at Pack Expo

by

ABB is set to showcase the company’s latest robotic innovations that help packagers manage high mix, low volume production at Pack Expo Las Vegas.

ABB will be in the Central Hall, at booth C-2051, where it will showcase several major new technological innovations.

The company says the innovations will provide the engineering and commissioning efficiency to package more products on the same lines, switch between products with minimal downtime, and quickly ramp up to full-production speed for new products.

Also, for the first time, ABB Robotics and ABB subsidiary B&R Industrial Automation will share adjacent booths, bringing together the most advanced solutions for flexible, high-performance packaging automation. [Read more…] about ABB to showcase robotic innovations at Pack Expo

OnRobot launches ‘one-system’ solution to make industrial robotic arms more compatible

by

OnRobot has launched a “one-system” solution which it says makes robots more compatible by enabling their end-effectors to be quickly attached to a variety of brands of robotic arms.

The company says the new unified mechanical and electrical interface for any OnRobot end-of-arm tooling (EoAT) “dramatically simplifies” automation with a single platform for a full range of collaborative and light industrial robotic systems.

OnRobot says the launch is part of its mission of making robotic applications faster and easier to implement with a unified mechanical and electrical interface for any OnRobot EoAT. [Read more…] about OnRobot launches ‘one-system’ solution to make industrial robotic arms more compatible

OnRobot launches new tooling system for ‘full range’ of collaborative robots

by

OnRobot says it has launched a new tooling system for “full range” of smaller robots.

The company says its new Digital I/O Converter Kit and Quick Changer for OnRobot end-of-arm tooling (EoAT) “dramatically simplifies” automation because it provides a single platform for a full range of collaborative and light industrial robotic systems

Denmark-based OnRobot, a specialist EoAT provider for collaborative robot applications, has introduced two new products – the Digital I/O Converter Kit and Quick Changer – which together with other OnRobot EoATs, creates a “unique One-System Solution that dramatically simplifies automation”, says the company. [Read more…] about OnRobot launches new tooling system for ‘full range’ of collaborative robots

Škoda opens new $200 million paint shop featuring 66 robots

by

Škoda Auto has opened a new automotive paint shop at its main plant in Mladá Boleslav, in the Czech Republic, featuring 66 industrial robots configured for applying the paint.

Up to 168,000 car bodies will be coated with paint there each year, taking the plant’s total annual painting capacity up to 812,000 vehicles.

Škoda Auto has invested €214.5 million in the new building, creating more than 650 new jobs. (See infographic below.) [Read more…] about Škoda opens new $200 million paint shop featuring 66 robots

Universal Robots ‘maintains top spot’ in collaborative robot market

by

Universal Robots is maintaining its top spot in the collaborative robot market, according to a report by ABI Research.

However, competitors including Doosan, Techman Robot and Precise Automation are “closing in“, says the study, Industrial Collaborative Robots Competitive Assessment.

There are well over 50 manufacturers of collaborative robots, or cobots, worldwide, but only a handful of these companies have so far deployed cobots on any meaningful level of scale. [Read more…] about Universal Robots ‘maintains top spot’ in collaborative robot market

Researchers develop robot fingertips for grasping and releasing objects in dry and wet conditions

by

A team of researchers at Kanazawa University has developed a robot control system – or fingertips – for grasping and releasing objects in dry and wet conditions.

The researchers say that the study was able to verify that “object grasping by soft surface fluid fingertips with high friction was controllable by applying a suitable lubricant”.

However, they added that it was necessary to do more experiments under various conditions in order to apply the current controlling technology to manufacturing environments. [Read more…] about Researchers develop robot fingertips for grasping and releasing objects in dry and wet conditions

Techman Robot unveils new ‘all-in-one’ palletizing solution

by

Techman Robot has unveiled a new “all-in-one” palletizing solution.

The company launched the new product at an appearance at the Taipei International Industrial Automation Exhibition.

This year, in addition to the built-in TM vision system of its human and robot collaborative robot, Techman Robot released an all-in-one application-based solution, the TM Palletizing Operator.

It is an integrated intelligent palletizing solution that reduces programming effort. [Read more…] about Techman Robot unveils new ‘all-in-one’ palletizing solution

Demand for robots to surge in electronics industry, says report

by

The demand for articulated robots is forecast to surge in line with increasing applications in the electronics industry, according to a report by FMI.

The research company forecasts the global industrial robotics market to see substantial growth over the forecast period due to multiple driving factors such as the adoption of internet of things in industries and growing digitalization of manufacturing industry across geographies.

The global industrial robotics market was valued at approximately $17 billion in 2018 and is estimated to increase at annual growth of approximately 18 per cent between the forecast periods of 2019 and 2029. [Read more…] about Demand for robots to surge in electronics industry, says report

Omron to debut new autonomous mobile manipulator and Robotiq vacuum grippers at Pack Expo

by

Omron is planning to debut a new autonomous mobile manipulator and Robotiq vacuum grippers at Pack Expo in Las Vegas. 

Omron says its booth at the event will be “a unique opportunity to explore near-future manufacturing equipment as part of a wide-ranging, interactive demo”.

In particular, Omron’s new autonomous mobile manipulator and the integration between Omron’s TM Series collaborative robot and Robotiq’s vacuum grippers (main picture) are innovations to see. [Read more…] about Omron to debut new autonomous mobile manipulator and Robotiq vacuum grippers at Pack Expo

Hirebotics develops new robotic welding system

by

Hirebotics has developed a new robotic welding system using Universal Robots machines.

The new for-hire BotX Welder – developed by Hirebotics and utilizing Universal Robots’ UR10e collaborative robot arm – lets manufacturers automate arc welding with no capital investment, handling even small batch runs not feasible for traditional automation.

Nowhere in manufacturing is the shortage of labor felt as urgently as in the welding sector, which is now facing an acute shortage of welders nationwide. [Read more…] about Hirebotics develops new robotic welding system