Robotics & Automation News

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IMTS: World’s largest industrial technology show to highlight automation trends

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The world‘s largest industrial technology show will highlight key automation trends with a view to helping visitors understand how they will affect manufacturing and other sectors.

Organisers of the International Manufacturing Technology Show – scheduled to take place in Chicago, in the US, from September 10th to 15th – say the event will bring people and automation closer together – literally – with exhibits highlighting the benefits of collaborative robots, or “cobots”.

Mike Cicco, president and CEO, Fanuc America and a board member of the Association for Manufacturing Technology, which owns and produces IMTS, says: “Automation suppliers have made tremendous leaps with software, control and sensor technology that enable quantifying what the robot ‘feels’.  [Read more…] about IMTS: World’s largest industrial technology show to highlight automation trends

The collaborative robotics revolution: A panacea for low productivity and an ageing work force?

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By Andrew Dyer, investment manager at Baird Capital

Industry 4.0, the catch-all phrase to describe industry’s embrace of Big Data, the internet of things and robotics, tends to inspire equal feelings of excitement and anxiety.

Excitement for the manufacturers who dream of lower costs, greater efficiencies and faster and greater outputs, anxiety for the millions of workers around the world who fear that the robotic revolution will leave them without a job.

A new study by the OECD suggests, however, that they needn’t be too worried. Whereas previously pundits warned that close to 50 per cent of American jobs would soon be lost to automation, the OECD now predicts just 14 per cent of jobs in OECD countries could now be lost to robots.  [Read more…] about The collaborative robotics revolution: A panacea for low productivity and an ageing work force?

Schunk demonstrates how the electronics industry can be made more collaborative

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Schunk is now showcasing on a demo system to show how depanelling machines can be made collaborative for the electronics industry.

The depanelling machine, from its subsidiary Schunk Electronic Solutions, uses a robot arm for the loading and unloading processes, so that a single employee can operate up to five machines simultaneously.

The automated system consists of the SAR 1700 depanelling machine and a UR5 six-axis robot arm from Universal Robots equipped with a Schunk Co-act EGP-C gripper.

[Read more…] about Schunk demonstrates how the electronics industry can be made more collaborative

Cobots halt slide to overseas manufacturing

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The long-standing industrial practice of outsourcing manufacturing operations to low-cost parts of the world to keep manufacturing costs down has recently taken a turn.

A report from Boston Consulting Group has shown that ‘the share of executives saying that their companies are actively reshoring production increased by 9% since 2014 and by about 250% since 2012. This suggests that companies that were considering reshoring in the past three years are now taking action.’

With rapidly rising labour costs in traditional low-cost countries such as China, manufacturers are now experiencing that the financial advantages of manufacturing overseas are being seriously eroded.

[Read more…] about Cobots halt slide to overseas manufacturing

Cobots set to become fastest growing robotics sector

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ABI Research, a market-foresight advisory firm providing guidance on the most transformative technologies, has identified collaborative robotics as one of the fastest growing segments of robotic systems.

Small-to-medium sized businesses are driving the increased demand for collaborative robots, as cobots provide solutions that allow for a more flexible kind of manufacturing that makes no assumptions as to volume levels or types of products being manufactured.

From 2016 to 2025, the global revenue of collaborative robotics shipments is set to enjoy a compound average growth rate of 49.8 per cent, compared to 12.1 per cent for Industrial robots and 23.2 per cent for commercial robotics.

[Read more…] about Cobots set to become fastest growing robotics sector

Astounding growth at Universal Robots sees company sell 20,000 industrial robots

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Universal Robots, one of the first companies to launch a collaborative industrial robot, says it has sold 10,000 more units since Robotics and Automation News last did a count. 

In a statement to the website, a spokesperson for the company says while Robotics and Automation News has been reporting that it has so far sold 10,000 units, the actual, most recent figure is in fact 20,000.

This means that if each robot is sold for between $23,000 and $45,000 then the company has generated additional revenues of between $230 million and $450 million since last count.  [Read more…] about Astounding growth at Universal Robots sees company sell 20,000 industrial robots

IFR’s projected growth of collaborative robots market ‘in line’ with Universal expectations

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The International Federation of Robotics’ new report into the global industrial robotics market predicts significant growth in the collaborative robotics segment.

Universal Robots is widely regarded as the market leader in collaborative robots, having been the first to launch such machines almost 10 years ago and having sold more than 10,000 units since.

Having started out in Denmark, Universal Robots is now part of the US industrial giant Teradyne.  [Read more…] about IFR’s projected growth of collaborative robots market ‘in line’ with Universal expectations

Universal Robots and partners to demonstrate ‘next generation’ collaborative robot technology at ATX East

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jacob-javits convention centre

Universal Robots is planning to showcase a range of new technologies and partnerships at ATX East, said to the largest annual design and manufacturing event on the US East Coast.

This year, the keynote speaker at the event will be Steve “Woz” Wozniak, co-founder of Apple and currently chief scientist at Primary Data.

Attendees at UBM’s ATX East in New York City, June 13-15, will be greeted by three collaborative robots from Universal Robots at the expo entrance.  [Read more…] about Universal Robots and partners to demonstrate ‘next generation’ collaborative robot technology at ATX East

Universal Robots partners with Nissan to increase manufacturing productivity through collaborative robots

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Universal Robots says Nissan has simplified processes, reduced relief worker costs and stabilised production output through deployment of the company’s UR10 cobots

Universal Robots says the Nissan Motor Company has successfully deployed Universal Robots’ UR10 robot arms at its Yokohama factory. 

The automaker joins other global automotive manufacturers including BMW and Volkswagen who are using Universal Robots’ collaborative robots (cobots) to automate their processes.

Universal Robots says that through the deployment of its cobots, Nissan has enhanced its production processes, resulting in a higher level of output and stability as well as time and cost efficiencies. Nissan’s ageing workforce also enjoy a reduced workload, and were redeployed to less strenuous tasks.  [Read more…] about Universal Robots partners with Nissan to increase manufacturing productivity through collaborative robots

Productive Robotics launches new cobot and buys Cobots Guide

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productive robots OB7-Robot
Productive Robots’ newly launched collaborative robot

Productive Robotics has acquired Cobots Guide, the information website about collaborative robotics. 

Productive Robotics says the acquisition will “advance industry relations, education, research, and advocacy in the acceptance and use of collaborative robots”.

Productive Robotics, which has just launched its new OB-7 collaborative robots, says that with market forecasts of $2 billion by 2021, the collaborative robot industry will be experiencing considerable growth.  [Read more…] about Productive Robotics launches new cobot and buys Cobots Guide