Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

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ABB expands robotic item-picking range for fashion and logistics industries

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ABB is expanding its portfolio of robotic solutions for logistics and e-commerce supply chains with the addition of two new AI-powered functional modules to its Item Picking range.

Featuring ABB’s own AI-based vision technology, tested by world leading fashion retail and logistics companies, the Fashion Inductor and Parcel Inductor offer solutions for two of the most critical logistics processes: item picking and sorter induction.

Craig McDonnell, managing director business line industries for ABB Robotics, says: “With the growth of e-commerce set to drive increased parcel volumes of up to nine percent per year, there is a need for greater levels of speed and accuracy in picking and inducting unknown random items. [Read more…] about ABB expands robotic item-picking range for fashion and logistics industries

ABB unveils AI-enabled robotic item picker for warehouses

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ABB Robotics has enhanced its industry-leading logistics automation portfolio with the launch of the Robotic Item Picker – a new AI and vision-based solution that can accurately detect and pick items in unstructured environments in warehouses and fulfillment centers.

Daniel Navarro, managing director of consumer segments and service robotics at ABB Robotics, says: “The explosion of e-commerce, changing consumer demands, and global labor shortages are driving the need for flexible automated solutions that make order fulfillment and distribution faster and more efficient.

“With its ability to learn and adapt in constantly changing warehouse environments, our AI-enabled Robotic Item Picker sees items and decides how to pick them, at speed with more than 99.5 percent efficiency, helping businesses overcome these challenges and build resilience.” [Read more…] about ABB unveils AI-enabled robotic item picker for warehouses

RightHand Robotics adds Vanderlande to partner integrator network

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RightHand Robotics, a developer of autonomous robotic picking solutions for order fulfillment, says Vanderlande, a provider of logistic process automation in the warehousing, airports, and parcel sectors, has partnered to deploy piece-picking robots to meet the demands of general merchandise warehouses and distribution centers on a global scale.

In doing so, Vanderlande has added the RightHand Robotics award-winning RightPick item handling system to its Smart Item Robotics (SIR) portfolio of technologies, following the company’s strategy to accelerate the use of robotics in warehousing.

Terry Verkuijlen, Vanderlande’s vice president warehouse solutions, says: “The market wants integrated robotics that work, so we’ve tested the world’s leading robot solutions. [Read more…] about RightHand Robotics adds Vanderlande to partner integrator network

Ideal Working Environments for Robots with item

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Networking, researching, and training – the Mehnert Lab in Erfurt sees itself as a platform for industrial cooperation in the age of Industry 4.0.

Mehnert GmbH provides skilled workers and specialists for various projects in the fields of electronics, mechanics, digital control, 3D measurement technology, and robotics. The company employs 55 permanent staff members, headquartered in Mülsen but also represented in Erfurt.

The globally-deployed team is focused on the construction, maintenance, and servicing of modern industrial plants. A few years ago, Managing Director René Mehnert founded the Mehnert Lab in Erfurt. It facilitates a new form of industrial collaboration and creates the perfect working environment to provide specialists with the best possible qualifications. [Read more…] about Ideal Working Environments for Robots with item

Automated COVID Testing Thanks to a Tireless Robot developed by item America

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The sheer scale of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to numerous innovative developments in industry to provide efficient solutions to meet the multitude of new challenges.

item America has played a part in several automation projects in the age of COVID – the manufacture of face masks and a workstation for analyzing coronavirus tests.

Now, item has played a role in the world’s first automated coronavirus testing station. Developed by Munich-based Franka Emika GmbH, a test station housing the “SR-NOCS” (“Swab Robot for Naso- and Oropharyngeal COVID-19 Screening”) swab robot. [Read more…] about Automated COVID Testing Thanks to a Tireless Robot developed by item America

ABB launches ‘FlexBuffer’ robotic work cell for e-commerce supply chain operations

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ABB is responding to the growing consumer demand for choice and fast delivery with the launch of its FlexBuffer application cell.

FlexBuffer brings new levels of flexibility for logistics, food and beverage, healthcare, consumer packaged goods, restaurants and retailers, offering a highly adaptable multi-functional solution for handling a variety of tasks such as sequencing, buffering, storage and order consolidation.

Marc Segura, group senior vice president managing director consumer segments and service robotics at ABB, says: “The constantly changing nature of today’s consumer landscape and the explosion of e-commerce is challenging the conventional systems used for processing and delivering orders. [Read more…] about ABB launches ‘FlexBuffer’ robotic work cell for e-commerce supply chain operations

The Benefits of Cobots in Industrial Production

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Robots in industrial production can help human employees lighten their workload and – indirectly – even protect them. item America is exploring these and other benefits of human-robot collaboration.

Although it’s nearly impossible to imagine our modern everyday lives without technical equipment, humans and machines are still often seen as rivals; however, this ‘either/or’ mindset fails to consider the valuable third option of collaboration that has become ever more important in the face of digitalization and Industry 4.0.

We’re talking about human-robot collaboration. [Read more…] about The Benefits of Cobots in Industrial Production

Automated Guided Vehicle Systems in Use at Audi

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State-of-the-art automotive manufacturing calls for modularity and versatility when it comes to planning and implementing material supply trolleys for intralogistics. (See video below.)

This is especially clear if you explore the Audi site in Neckarsulm, Germany, where the Audi A8 is manufactured over several floors.

Top-of-the-range models such as the Audi A8 allow customers to choose from a wide range of design options and additional extras to customize their vehicle however they want.

This means that the production teams must stock different types of components in the warehouse and utilize precise advance planning to have the required materials arrive at the line in sufficient quantities and, most importantly, in the right order. [Read more…] about Automated Guided Vehicle Systems in Use at Audi

item Industrietechnik demonstrates robotic innovation is possible even in tight spaces

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The video below will show how item Partner PharmaCos Machinery, who proudly serves the Eastern Canada region as a representative of item Expertise, has demonstrated just how innovative you can be with item products and robotics.

[Read more…] about item Industrietechnik demonstrates robotic innovation is possible even in tight spaces

Efficient production of even the smallest of series

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Human-robot collaboration: Advantages for manual production

The video below will show you why human-robot collaboration holds enormous benefits for staff in manual assembly and enables companies to efficiently produce very small series in semi-automated processes.

item Industrietechnik developed a system for human-robot collaboration with the aim of lightening the load on workers in manual assembly while also boosting the efficiency of associated processes. [Read more…] about Efficient production of even the smallest of series