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Demonstration project begins for commercialization of vessels with high-power fuel cells

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NYK Line, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK), and ENEOS Corporation are pleased to announce that the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has approved the companies’ participation in a demonstration project for the commercialization of high-power Fuel Cell (FC) vessels.

The project, which will begin in September 2020, is Japan’s first effort to develop a commercially available FC vessel and carry out a demonstration operation involving the supply of hydrogen fuel.

By using FCs as a power source, it will be possible to completely eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during navigation. [Read more…] about Demonstration project begins for commercialization of vessels with high-power fuel cells

The story behind Kawasaki’s duAro 2 robot

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In June 2018, a new model of the dual-arm SCARA robot “duAro” series, the duAro2, was released. The duAro is a collaborative robot (cobot) first launched by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, or Kawasaki, in June 2015.

Like humans, it has two arms and is capable of working alongside humans in the same environment. While the series’ inaugural duAro1 model specialises in horizontal motion, the duAro2 improves upon its capabilities, extending the range of its arms’ vertical stroke from 15 cm to 55 cm, and increasing the maximum payload of each arm from 2 kg to 3 kg.

Shogo Hasegawa (General Manager of FA Solution Second Department of Robot Business Division in Precision Machinery & Robot Company) is known as the “Father of duAro”, who has been involved since development of duAro1 first began. He talks about developing the duAro2 and the story behind it.

[Read more…] about The story behind Kawasaki’s duAro 2 robot

Kawasaki Robotics offers insight into how industrial robots are made

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Article by Kawasaki Robotics

How are industrial robots built? In this article, Kawasaki Robotics, one of the world’s largest industrial robot makers, provides a guide on the components and the movement of robot arms.

One of the questions many may ask for obvious reasons is: “Are the structures of robots and humans the same?”

Robots and humans share a common feature. Humans and mechanical robots – as opposite as they may seem, they, in fact, share the same underlying structure of links (bones) and joints.  [Read more…] about Kawasaki Robotics offers insight into how industrial robots are made

ABB and Kawasaki partner to launch ‘world’s first’ operating system for collaborative robots

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ABB and Kawasaki Heavy Industries are showcasing the world’s first common collaborative robot operating interface at the ongoing Automatica event. 

The two companies are among the world’s largest industrial robot manufacturers, with almost half a million installations worldwide.

The companies say the new common interface will help address the shortage of skilled workers in many industries. In Japan, for example, one person in five is within a decade of retirement.  [Read more…] about ABB and Kawasaki partner to launch ‘world’s first’ operating system for collaborative robots

Kawasaki duAro: Behind the scenes of collaborative robot development

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Kawasaki Heavy Industries, or Kawasaki, has developed a large number of industrial robots since the launch of its first domestically manufactured industrial robot, the Kawasaki Unimate 2000, in 1969.

It released the dual-arm SCARA robot “duAro”, in June 2015. duAro is the result of the pursuit of the ultimate user-/human-friendly robot.

Shogo Hasegawa from Kawasaki was involved in the project from its conception and took part in its development.

[Read more…] about Kawasaki duAro: Behind the scenes of collaborative robot development

Robot used to remove burner in gas-fired power plant

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Removing a burner from inside a gas turbine is a tricky task. Siemens decided to use a Kawasaki robot to perform this maintenance operation, which heralds the way for reduced outage times for power plant operators.

This Kawasaki MG10HL robot, installed at the Siemens Lausward power plant in Dusseldorf, has a payload capacity of up to 1,000 kg and a 4-metre reach. The powerful, extra large payload Kawasaki robot was installed to perform the dangerous, routine maintenance task of replacing burners and transitions on huge gas turbines.

Watch the video here

Kawasaki robots take the biscuit

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Fox’s, a UK biscuit brand, has replaced SCARA type robots with Kawasaki robots to overcome efficiency issues relating to obsolescence.

Back in 1989, Fox’s Uttoxeter facility first implemented robotic handling of wrapped biscuits, reducing operators from 34 to just 14, using SCARA configuration robots.

Out of three replacement options proposed to Fox’s, Kawasaki suggested a move back to conventional six axes arms. Through simulations, Kawasaki Robotics UK was able to illustrate that the RS-20N Robots would cost effectively match, and exceed if required, the output of the existing SCARA robots.

[Read more…] about Kawasaki robots take the biscuit

Kawasaki ‘Successor’ to expand human-robot remote collaboration

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Kawasaki Heavy Industries has a new robot system, Successor, that reproduces the movements of expert engineers through remote collaboration.

The company is first introducing the system into the robot manufacturing line at its Nishi-Kobe Works and will begin limited sales to select customers in FY2018, followed by general sales in FY2019.

Successor is a system that features newly-developed remote control devices that enable remote collaboration. Remote control will make it possible to apply robots to a wide range of fields, and the system is compatible with a wide range of Kawasaki robots.

[Read more…] about Kawasaki ‘Successor’ to expand human-robot remote collaboration

30 industrial robot manufacturers to watch

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2018 looks all set to be a bumper year for sales of industrial robot arms across all categories – from the large, heavyweight class right down to the small desktop variety. 

With established robot makers expanding their range, and with new startups launching innovative new models, the market is more dynamic than ever.

Oversupply may be a problem going forward, especially as Chinese robot manufacturers step up their production, but even including the new companies entering the market, the number of industry-standard robot makers worldwide is relatively small.  [Read more…] about 30 industrial robot manufacturers to watch

ABB and Kawasaki to partner on collaborative robot automation

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Two industrial titans – one from Europe and the other from Asia – have agreed a partnership relating to the development of collaborative robot automation.

The two companies – ABB and Kawasaki – are both industrial giants with wide-ranging business activities, and collaborative robots are actually a relatively small part of their respective operations.

However, it’s probably a sign of how important a technology collaborative robots represent that both are now combining their resources to build an automation ecosystem.  [Read more…] about ABB and Kawasaki to partner on collaborative robot automation