Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

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Exotec robots ‘save warehouse workers from walking nearly 30 million kilometres’

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Data published by Exotec says that, since the company’s first delivered site in 2017, its warehouse robots have covered a distance of 28,791,005 kilometres (17,889,901 miles) – equivalent to 37 return trips to the moon.

The company says its Skypod robots have logged over 5 million kilometres (3.1 million miles) at the longest drive site, with an average of 1.75 million kilometres (1.1 million miles) across Exotec’s 10 busiest sites.

To date, Exotec’s Skypod robots have completed almost 230 million cycles globally. The company defines one cycle as the act of a robot retrieving a bin, bringing it to a picking station, and returning the bin to storage. [Read more…] about Exotec robots ‘save warehouse workers from walking nearly 30 million kilometres’

fruitcore unveils new ‘all-rounder’ industrial robotic arm

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fruitcore robotics has unveiled what it describes as a new “all-rounder” industrial robotic arm – the Digital Robot HORST1000, which has a payload of up to 8 kilograms.

The robot also has a reach of 1,018 millimeters, and short cycle times.

fruitcore robotics says the new robot’s performance parameters “enable a wide range of additional applications and better meet the growing market for industrial processes” such as machine placement and pick and place applications. [Read more…] about fruitcore unveils new ‘all-rounder’ industrial robotic arm

Universal Robots launches all-new 20 kg industrial collaborative robot

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Universal Robots, the Danish manufacturer of collaborative robots (cobots), is to add a new 20 kg cobot to its product range.

Called the UR20, the cobot boasts an all-new design based on Universal Robots’ experience in highly refined engineering and is the latest addition to the company’s strong portfolio of cobots.

The UR20 is the best demonstration yet of Universal Robots’ unrivalled innovation in the cobot space, featuring an entirely new joint design that will allow for even faster cycle times as well as the ability to handle heavier loads. [Read more…] about Universal Robots launches all-new 20 kg industrial collaborative robot

New Kuka Quantec palletizing robot ‘faster than ever’

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Industrial robot maker Kuka says the new version of its KR Quantec PA robotic arm palletizes “faster than ever”.

Kuka says the KR Quantec PA is the most powerful palletizing robot on the market and that the second generation of the robot features “an impressive reduction in cycle times”.

The Quantec has a payload of up to 240 kilograms and food-grade NSF H1 lubricants, and is aimed at the food industry. [Read more…] about New Kuka Quantec palletizing robot ‘faster than ever’

Robot-assisted assembly of high-voltage connectors for electric vehicles

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Assembling high-voltage connectors for electric and hybrid vehicles at a rate of 5 million per year calls for sophisticated automation solutions. Especially when regular retooling for new models and variants is the norm. Against this background, a pioneering system with six Stäubli robots, 13 image processing systems and inline quality control at every stage is now ensuring highly flexible production.

Electro-mobility is the buzzword of our times, and the market for vehicles with electric drives is steadily gaining momentum worldwide. For some time now, this trend has also been spurring demand for the type of assembly solutions for electric components offered by specialized machine builders such as Eberhard. The company, based in Schlierbach near Stuttgart, Germany, was recently asked by a multinational automotive supplier to implement a complex project.

Specifically, it involved the planning and realization of an assembly line for high-voltage connectors. The system would have to not only perform the actual assembly work, but also the visual inspection at each stage, the testing of every single connector for leak-proofing, and finally the packing of the finished high-voltage connectors in trays. [Read more…] about Robot-assisted assembly of high-voltage connectors for electric vehicles

Okuma unveils machining center that forms and finishes metal parts in ‘one setup’

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Okuma has unveiled a new machining center that it says can form and finishes large metal parts and components in one setup.

The company says its MCR-S double column machining center “combines cutting-edge technology and process improvements to reduce cycle time by 25 percent”.

Okuma is one of the largest manufacturers of CNC machine tools, and says its MCR-S roughs and finishes press dies in one setup and is designed for heavy duty machining of process-intensive press dies. [Read more…] about Okuma unveils machining center that forms and finishes metal parts in ‘one setup’

Realtime Robotics partners with Dematic to develop ‘new capabilities’ for mixed-case palletizing

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Realtime Robotics, a developer of autonomous motion planning systems for industrial robots, has agreed a partnership with Dematic, a global intralogistics company.

The use of Realtime’s advanced multi-robot coordination and spatial perception technology paired with Dematic’s automated palletizing software will vastly improve the accuracy, cycle time and stability of mixed case palletizing cells.

In the hyper-competitive logistics space, solution providers are being challenged to reduce cost and time to deploy all while continuing to increase key productivity metrics. [Read more…] about Realtime Robotics partners with Dematic to develop ‘new capabilities’ for mixed-case palletizing

Kuka launches new compact industrial robot

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Kuka has launched a new compact industrial robot. The company says its new KR 4 Agilus is “a hot candidate for first place in the small robotics charts from October onwards”. (See video below.)

Kuka says the compact robot is optimally designed for robot-based automation in electronics manufacturing and for handling tasks in other industries.

The company adds that the KR 4 Agilus offers “virtually unlimited potential for small robots in the electronics industry”. [Read more…] about Kuka launches new compact industrial robot

Panasonic develops ‘multifunctional secure’ IC for industrial IoT

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Panasonic has developed a multifunctional secure integrated circuit in response to the need for enhanced security measures to protect internet of things and industrial devices used in facilities such as factories and warehouses.

When installed in such devices, Panasonic says its new IC with unique encrypting functions will “boost their security”. The company will start sample shipments in February 2020.

The use of IoT devices has been growing rapidly in a variety of fields, requiring improved measures against increasingly sophisticated and diverse security attacks. [Read more…] about Panasonic develops ‘multifunctional secure’ IC for industrial IoT

Kuka launches new industrial robot range

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Industrial automation giant Kuka is launching a new industrial robot range, the KR IonTec, which the company says is “a robot for any task in the 30 to 70 kg payload category”.

Kuka is market-launching the new product series, which it says is the successor to the KR 60-3.

Kuka says the KR IonTec “sets standards in terms of flexibility in the medium payload category”. [Read more…] about Kuka launches new industrial robot range