Robotics & Automation News

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collaborative robots

Majority of companies ‘do not understand safety requirements of collaborative robots’

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The vast majority of companies implementing automation technologies “do not understand safety requirements of collaborative robots”, according to a survey undertaken by TM Robotics. 

The company asked for the opinions of automation distributors on current challenges related to robotics for its Global Robotics Report.

The answers showed that 79 per cent of automation distributors do not believe their customers understand the safety requirements of installing a collaborative robot.  [Read more…] about Majority of companies ‘do not understand safety requirements of collaborative robots’

Doosan to make stronger push into collaborative robotics

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Doosan is planning to make a stronger push into collaborative robotics.

Doosan Robotics CEO, Lee Byung-Seo, says: “Collaboration is the key, not the 1: 1 replacement with the worker.”

As the debate about the Fourth industrial revolution continues, interest in cooperative robots, which have become hot topics in the manufacturing industry, is spreading. [Read more…] about Doosan to make stronger push into collaborative robotics

Kuka revises financial forecasts because of economic slowdown

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Company says it will redirect investment towards “smaller and simpler robot systems” as well as collaborative robots

Kuka has revised its financial forecasts for the fiscal year 2018 because of the “economic slowdown”, which could at least in part refer to the US-China trade dispute.

The industrial robot maker says the “challenging market environment” is the result of a slowdown in the “key industries of automotive and electronics, weak growth in the important Chinese market as well as challenges in the project business”.

Kuka says it has implemented an “immediate package” to strengthen future viability. And it is adjusting its forecast for the past fiscal year 2018.  [Read more…] about Kuka revises financial forecasts because of economic slowdown

Infographic: Collaborative robots market continues to grow

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The ever-increasing automation in industry has led to the collaborative robots market to experience a recent increase in popularity, according to Interact Analysis. (See infographic below.)

Further tied to the rising cost and lack of labour needed to complete menial and monotonous tasks, it is easy to foresee why cobots could become a relevant addition to the future workforce.

But is this hype, or will cobots become a common-sight next to human workers? And how will they complement or affect the traditional industrial robot market? These are just some of the questions that remain to be answered.  [Read more…] about Infographic: Collaborative robots market continues to grow

Universal Robots celebrates 10 years of selling ‘world’s first commercially viable collaborative robot’

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Universal Robots is marking a decade of pioneering collaborative robots, now believed to be the fastest-growing segment of industrial automation.

The company says it is “poised for continued growth” as its cobots continue to lower the automation barrier within a wide range of industries.

When Linatex, a Danish supplier of technical plastics and rubber for industrial applications, bought a UR5 robot arm from Universal Robots to automate CNC machine tending in December 2008, they did something unthinkable.  [Read more…] about Universal Robots celebrates 10 years of selling ‘world’s first commercially viable collaborative robot’

Universal Robots hires more than 20 former Rethink Robotics employees

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Universal Robots is hiring more than 20 former Rethink Robotics employees, now that the latter company has closed down.

Universal Robots says the move is aimed at “reinforcing both companies’ pioneering roles in collaborative robotics”.

The company says that, in hiring the 20+ Rethink staff members, it is “incorporating valuable expertise in engineering, product development, and customer applications”.  [Read more…] about Universal Robots hires more than 20 former Rethink Robotics employees

Analysis: Universal Robots continues to dominate cobot market but faces many challengers

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By Ash Sharma, research director, Interact Analysis

Universal Robots continued to dominate the collaborative robot industry in the first half of 2018, although Interact Analysis estimates its market share dipped a little this year.

Despite the exit of cobot pioneer, Rethink Robotics, UR faces an increasing number of challengers and the fledgling industry remains fragmented.

Universal Robots still maintains an incredibly strong hold over the collaborative robot market. However, its market share has gradually decreased from more than 55 percent in 2016 to 46 percent in 2017 – which was inevitable given how quickly the industry is growing and the increasing number of suppliers now competing.  [Read more…] about Analysis: Universal Robots continues to dominate cobot market but faces many challengers

New Scale Robotics gains Universal Robots certification for precision parallel gripper

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New Scale Robotics, a division of New Scale Technologies, has received Universal Robots certification for its NSR-PG-10-20-UR Precision Parallel Gripper.

Universal Robots certification confirms that the smart gripper is fully compatible with UR collaborative robots and meets all published specifications.

David Henderson, CEO of New Scale Technologies, says: “We are delighted to receive endorsement from Universal Robots for the NSR-PG, created specifically to install and operate on UR robots in under 30 minutes.  [Read more…] about New Scale Robotics gains Universal Robots certification for precision parallel gripper

Universal Robots gives away a golden robot to one person in each of its geographical areas around the world

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Universal Robots, widely recognized as the market leader in collaborative robots, earlier this year announced that it is celebrating its 25,000th cobot sale by giving away a Gold Edition cobot, shipped free of cost, to one lucky customer.

However, due to a huge response and interest from customers all around the world, Universal Robots has decided to offer a Gold Edition cobot to a customer in each of Universal Robots’ geographical areas worldwide.

The reward for each of these customers is the previously announced Golden Cobot with the joints painted in a rich, gold-colored finish, which is a refreshing take on Universal Robots’ iconic blue and grey cobots.  [Read more…] about Universal Robots gives away a golden robot to one person in each of its geographical areas around the world

Techman Robot launches new industrial robot systems at IMTS

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Techman Robot has launched several new industrial automation systems – including the new TM12 and TM14 robots – at the International Manufacturing Technology Show, currently taking place in Chicago.

The company boasts that its Techman robot is “the most intelligent collaborative industrial robot in the world” and recently signed a partnership with industrial automation giant Omron.

Techman Robot has a built-in visual system and “innovative” user interface. The company says it has become one of the industrial robots with “the fastest sales growth in the global market”.  [Read more…] about Techman Robot launches new industrial robot systems at IMTS