Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

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Human-like hands for robots move one step closer with Italian scientist’s invention

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An Italian scientist has invented a robotic end effector that could bring the goal of robots having human-like hands one step closer.

Corrado De Pascali and his colleagues on the Italian Institute of Technology have unveiled an end effector which uses tiny, 8-gram actuators to power many different joints in the complex component.

According to report in New Scientist and several other outlets, the actuators – although small – can actually lift “1,000 times their own weight”. [Read more…] about Human-like hands for robots move one step closer with Italian scientist’s invention

Danfoss installs 3D scanner robot that can measure components to within a micron

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Danfoss Power Solutions, a supplier of mobile and industrial hydraulics as well as electric powertrain systems, has invested in an advanced 3D scanner robot for its joystick manufacturing lines in Nordborg, Denmark.

The company says the new device is boosting inspection routines by measuring component dimensions to “micron-level precision, providing customers with even higher product quality”.

Danfoss Power Solutions’ Nordborg facility manufactures thousands of joystick variants for off-highway vehicles, such as forestry machines, harvesters, cranes, tractors and more. With the new 3D scanner robot, operators can tell immediately if a joystick component is within specifications. [Read more…] about Danfoss installs 3D scanner robot that can measure components to within a micron

Yaskawa launches new Motoman industrial robot for small component processing

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Yaskawa has launched a new industrial robot for small component processing, called the Motoman GP4.

The company says the new robot is “extremely fast” to enable maximum throughput, and is “highly precise”.

The GP4 robot is equipped with a 4 kg payload for high-volume small component processing. Axis speeds up to 1,000 degrees/s and incredibly fast acceleration/deceleration control for all robot positions optimize overall productivity. [Read more…] about Yaskawa launches new Motoman industrial robot for small component processing

More flexible gear machining for industrial robots

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Today’s industrial robots must fit into smaller spaces, so as much “manufacturing real estate” as possible is dedicated to production. This places pressure on manufacturers to machine smaller, tighter components for these machines. Here, Harish Maniyoor, global product manager for automotive at the machine tooling specialist Sandvik Coromant explains why power skiving is the answer.

The overall number of industrial robots operating in factories worldwide grew to 2.7 million in 2019, according to the 2020 World Robotics Report by the International Federation of Robotics. 

This was a 12 percent increase from 2018 and a historic high. Robots factor into a range of industries, from automotive and aerospace to the food industry and pharmaceuticals – yet all of these sectors have common requirements.

Not only must these robots be smaller, but also lighter with reduced inertia and able to perform more exact movements with optimal speed and efficiency. The challenge is on for manufacturers to machine smaller and more precisely engineered-components – like internal gear reducers – with more flexible designs. [Read more…] about More flexible gear machining for industrial robots

Do we really need a professional translator for instruction manuals?

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Whether we like it or not, it is a well-established fact that we need instruction manuals. Indeed, in some instances it may be a legal requirement for the manufacturer of the product to supply one.

In fact, numerous directives in Europe, the US and much of the rest of the world make it compulsory to provide information, most often in the form of an instruction manual. [Read more…] about Do we really need a professional translator for instruction manuals?

Ensenso 3D stereo camera system imitates human vision to make robotic inspection cells faster and more accurate

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The new Ensenso 3D stereo industrial camera system “imitates human vision” to make robotic inspection cells “faster and more accurate”, according to Imaging Development Systems (IDS).

Each Ensenso camera system contains two 2D IDS cameras to view the scene from different positions, similar to the way human eyes work, with artificial intelligence processing the data, rather like the human brain does.

“Special matching algorithms compare the two images, search for corresponding points and visualize all point displacements in a disparity map,” explains IDS. “This is then used to calculate depth information for the resulting point cloud.” [Read more…] about Ensenso 3D stereo camera system imitates human vision to make robotic inspection cells faster and more accurate

4 Solid Reasons Why You Should Buy a 3D Printer for Home Use

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With the advancements of 3D printing technology, many hobbyists and those who are interested in making various projects have gained the tremendous advantage of having a 3D printer in the comfort of their homes.

It also makes for a good tool that your children can learn a lot from just by playing with their imaginations and realizing some of it with the use of these machines. [Read more…] about 4 Solid Reasons Why You Should Buy a 3D Printer for Home Use

Kuka develops mobile robot for semiconductor production

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Kuka has developed a mobile robot for semiconductor production. The system integrates a robotic arm with an autonomous wheeled platform.

Kuka says it developed the system because the production of semiconductors is particularly complex.

Until now there was no mobile, automated semiconductor production system that enabled component transfer from one step to the next. That has now changed with the Kuka wafer handling solution. [Read more…] about Kuka develops mobile robot for semiconductor production

BMW provides insight into how it uses artificial intelligence in production

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise in automotive production. Since 2018, the BMW Group has been using various AI applications in series production.

One focus is automated image recognition: In these processes, artificial intelligence evaluates component images in ongoing production and compares them in milliseconds to hundreds of other images of the same sequence.

This way, the AI application determines deviations from the standard in real time and checks, for instance, whether all required parts have been mounted and whether they are mounted in the right place.

[Read more…] about BMW provides insight into how it uses artificial intelligence in production

Hanwha Aerospace acquires US aircraft engine component manufacturer

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Hanwha Aerospace has signed a deal to fully acquire EDAC Technologies, an American aircraft engine component manufacturer. The deal is expected to be worth around USD 300 million, which will be finalised once negotiations are completed.

The Korean company made a preliminary bid for EDAC Technologies in April of 2019 and entered a period of due diligence before making a final offer.

EDAC Technologies is an aircraft engine component manufacturer based in Connecticut, with a workforce of 590 people. It recorded USD 150 million in revenue in 2018.

[Read more…] about Hanwha Aerospace acquires US aircraft engine component manufacturer