Robotics & Automation News

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factory automation

Massachusetts awards $4.5 million to 20 local manufacturers

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The Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM), a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech), has announced the first cohort of 20 manufacturers participating in a redesigned Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerator Program (MMAP), an updated initiative that combines capital grant funding with no-cost equipment assessments, expert guidance, and peer learning opportunities to help small- and medium-sized manufacturers modernize, grow and compete.

This program supports small- and medium-sized manufacturers with grant funding. It will also provide recipients with access to workshops, peer learning and hands-on guidance to help companies modernize and grow.

“Manufacturing has always been a cornerstone of Massachusetts’ economy, and it continues to drive innovation, job creation and economic growth across our state,” said Governor Maura Healey. [Read more…] about Massachusetts awards $4.5 million to 20 local manufacturers

Geekplus installs more than 400 autonomous mobile robots at multiple Toyota plants

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Geekplus has announced the deployment of moving-type Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) at several Toyota Motor Corporation plants in Japan.

Currently, a total of 436 Geekplus moving-type AMRs are operating in Toyota Motor Corporation’s factories, with operations scaled up to approximately 200 units per system.

As labor shortages due to a declining population and new labor regulations for truck drivers become urgent challenges for the manufacturing industry, Toyota Motor Corporation is accelerating the automation and efficiency of its in-plant logistics. [Read more…] about Geekplus installs more than 400 autonomous mobile robots at multiple Toyota plants

Automation is Hiring Faster Than Schools Can Graduate Engineers

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Automation is no longer a future promise. It is a present-day hiring engine. Across factories, warehouses, energy grids, and research labs, companies are deploying robots and intelligent systems at a pace that demands a steady supply of skilled engineers.

The trouble is simple to state and hard to solve. The machines are arriving faster than the people who design, build, and maintain them.

This gap is not a temporary blip. It is a structural mismatch between what employers need and what the education system can deliver. Demand is compounding. Supply is moving in a straight line. When those two curves diverge, the result is a labor shortage that touches every corner of the technology economy. [Read more…] about Automation is Hiring Faster Than Schools Can Graduate Engineers

Mesoware raises $1.5 million funding to build AI-powered robots for manufacturing

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Mesoware has announced $1.5 million to build the next chapter of AI-powered robotics solutions for automated manufacturing. The pre-seed round was led by Pillar VC.

Joe Mattekatt, co-founder and CEO of Mesoware, says: “With hardware costs falling and AI advancing, the final hurdle in robotics is putting it all together at scale.

“Mesoware is that missing link, turning complex robotic integration into plug-and-play solutions that make physical automation accessible to everyone.” [Read more…] about Mesoware raises $1.5 million funding to build AI-powered robots for manufacturing

Güdel expands robotic grinding reach with integrated vertical and horizontal motion

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Grinding and surface finishing of fabricated parts is one of the classic 3D (Dull, Dirty, Dangerous) applications that are perfect for robot automation.

Unfortunately, automating the grinding of large fabrications means multiple robots and complex part repositioning, which add significant cost and extended cycle times while introducing new sources of variation in the process.

At Automate 2026, Güdel arrives with a system designed to scale beyond these physical constraints. [Read more…] about Güdel expands robotic grinding reach with integrated vertical and horizontal motion

AWR standardizes CNC machine tending with OnRobot electric grippers to speed changeovers

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In the fast-paced world of high-mix, low-volume manufacturing, the ability to pivot between different part sizes is the difference between profitability and stagnation.

For many years, machine shops have been tethered to pneumatic systems that, while functional, lacked the intelligence and adaptability required for modern automation.

Automation Within Reach (AWR, formerly Gosiger Automation), a specialist in accessible CNC automation, recognized that to truly empower their customers, they needed to move beyond the mechanical limitations of the past. [Read more…] about AWR standardizes CNC machine tending with OnRobot electric grippers to speed changeovers

Misumi launches Misumi Americas as part of $1 billion global manufacturing investment

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Japanese industrial components supplier Misumi Group has launched Misumi Americas and announced a $1 billion (¥150 billion) global investment program aimed at expanding its digital manufacturing and supply chain capabilities.

The initiative combines Misumi’s industrial components business with the AI-powered manufacturing platform acquired through Fictiv, positioning the company as a broader manufacturing and supply chain partner rather than solely a parts supplier.

The expansion includes significant investment in the United States and marks the appointment of Dave Evans as the first American CEO of Misumi Americas. [Read more…] about Misumi launches Misumi Americas as part of $1 billion global manufacturing investment

Why Factory Automation Now Depends on Software-Savvy Workers

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Automation is becoming a software problem. The deeper robots move into production, the more workers need to be confident handling dashboards, updates, alerts and data-driven decisions.

The old image of factory automation was a robot arm behind a safety cage, doing one repetitive task faster than a human being ever could. But whilst robots weld, lift, assemble and pack at speeds fast enough to warrant their own keepers and still save thousands of man-hours, the knowledge of that robot engineer is increasingly software-based.

Meanwhile, the International Federation of Robotics said that, worldwide, more than half a million industrial robots were installed in 2024 alone, topping up a figure approaching 5 million robots in operational use. [Read more…] about Why Factory Automation Now Depends on Software-Savvy Workers

Fanuc-powered robotic cell automates one of furniture manufacturing’s toughest jobs

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A Canadian furniture manufacturer has automated a traditionally labor-intensive upholstery process using a robotic work cell built around a Fanuc M-710iC industrial robot.

Developed by Fanuc Authorized System Integrator Dvolu, the automated upholstery cell performs a series of tasks that have historically required skilled human workers, including fabric stretching, stapling, trimming, and palletizing chair seat linings.

The project highlights how robotics is increasingly moving beyond traditional manufacturing applications such as welding, machine tending, and material handling into tasks that require a greater degree of dexterity and adaptability. [Read more…] about Fanuc-powered robotic cell automates one of furniture manufacturing’s toughest jobs

Méca-Précis utilizes robotic measurement cell to eliminate inspection bottlenecks

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French precision engineering company Méca-Précis has automated part inspection using a robotic measurement cell that combines a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) from Mitutoyo with automation technology from a company called Engineering Data.

The system was introduced after inspection processes became a bottleneck as production volumes increased, particularly for aerospace and space-sector customers that require 100 percent dimensional inspection of every part before and after surface treatment.

Founded in 1975 and based in Châtillon-sur-Indre, Méca-Précis employs 45 people and operates 25 machine tools, including 18 CNC machines. [Read more…] about Méca-Précis utilizes robotic measurement cell to eliminate inspection bottlenecks