Robotics & Automation News

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Japanese companies prepare to bring forward new generation of humanoid collaborative robots capable of a variety of industrial work

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There was a time when Japanese electronics companies were the Apples and Googles of the world, with everyone buying their products and talking about them in the media.

Many of those same formerly pre-eminent names today play second fiddle to the Silicon Valley tech giants.

But while they may not be discussed as much as they were in the past – and their products not as ubiquitous in the consumer market – Japanese companies still loom large in the industrial sector.  [Read more…] about Japanese companies prepare to bring forward new generation of humanoid collaborative robots capable of a variety of industrial work

Rethink Robotics raises $18 million in new funding

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scott eckert, sawyer robot
Scott Eckert with Sawyer, Rethink Robotics’ new collaborative industrial robot

Rethink Robotics, maker of the Baxter and Sawyer industrial robots, says it has raised new funds for global expansion and new product development  

Rethink Robotics has raised $18 million in new funding as part of its Series E financing round.

The new round includes funding from leading asset manager and private equity investment firm, Adveq, as well as contributions from all previous investors, including Bezos Expeditions, CRV, Highland Capital Partners, Sigma Partners, DFJ, Two Sigma Ventures, GE Ventures and Goldman Sachs.

The funding will support Rethink’s global expansion initiatives and new product development, says the company.  [Read more…] about Rethink Robotics raises $18 million in new funding

Rethink Robotics signs exclusive distribution deal with Hunan Cothink in China

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Hunan Cothink will distribute Sawyer and Baxter robots throughout the country

Rethink Robotics has reached an exclusive agreement with collaborative robotics provider Hunan Cothink Robotics Technology Company to distribute its robots to the entire Chinese manufacturing community.

Rethink Robotics and Hunan Cothink originally announced a partnership in February of this year that awarded Hunan Cothink distribution rights in northern and southern China, but the success of the relationship and the demand for Rethink Robotics’ smart, collaborative robots has led to a new, exclusive deal that covers the entire Chinese geography.

Earlier this year, Hunan Cothink was formed as a separate division with a new sales and support organization that is designed to bring Rethink’s robots to the Chinese market and help Chinese manufacturers build smarter factories. Hunan Cothink also distributes Rethink Robotics’ Baxter robot worldwide.  [Read more…] about Rethink Robotics signs exclusive distribution deal with Hunan Cothink in China

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

Rethink’s Baxter industrial robot ‘simplifies complexity’ for Donnelly

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baxter donnelly
Baxter hard at work at the Donnelly factory

Two-armed collaborative robot making light work of difficult injection moulding tasks 

A US manufacturer says its use of the Baxter industrial robot “simplifies complexity” in its factory operations.

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Donnelly Custom Manufacturing, a company which specializes in short-run injection molding of thermoplastics for industrial original equipment manufacturers, is using Rethink Robotics’ two-armed Baxter robot for flexible automation at its facility in Alexandria, Minnesota.

Donnelly’s focus is on short-run injection molding for customers with low to medium volumes, as well as an array of related engineering and manufacturing services.  [Read more…] about Rethink’s Baxter industrial robot ‘simplifies complexity’ for Donnelly

Rethink signs deal to manufacture its robots in China

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Rethink Robotics has reached an agreement with a company in China to manufacture its products in the world’s most populous nation and fastest-growing market for industrial robots. 

This is according to a report by the official state news agency, Xinhua.

The Chinese company is called Cothink Robotics and is based in Hunan, a province located nearer to the middle of the country.

Under the terms of the deal, Cothink will set up a factory in collaboration the local government and Rethink. All three parties seem to have a stake in the joint enterprise.  [Read more…] about Rethink signs deal to manufacture its robots in China

Two-armed robots: Baxter helps Stenner meet increased demand

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rethink robotics, baxter, material handling
Rethink’s Baxter robot is capable of many type of material handling tasks, says the company
Stenner Pump Company, a maker of water treatment pumps, tanks, injection systems and more, is leveraging Rethink Robotics’ two-armed Baxter robot in its manufacturing plant in Jacksonville, Fla. to increase flexibility and efficiency, allowing for quicker product development and delivery.

The team at Stenner Pump is deploying Baxter in a production cell to complete two tasks using each arm simultaneously. Baxter uses one arm to package and place finished parts from an injection molding machine into a bagging machine for final production.

Using the other arm, Baxter begins a three-step machine tending and assembly task by placing a strainer into a fixture and ensuring proper part orientation. Baxter then places a weight into the strainer and waits for the lid to be pressed on to the strainer; finally, the robot removes the finished part and places it into a bin of finished products. [Read more…] about Two-armed robots: Baxter helps Stenner meet increased demand