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Opinion: How to double up grocery logistics productivity with autonomous mobile robots

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With growing labour availability issues, how can grocery logistics operations significantly boost performance? Vincent Jacquemart, CEO at French autonomous mobile robot designer and manufacturer iFollow, offers a solution.

Faced with the likelihood of long term staff shortages and resulting rises in pay rates, warehouse and distribution centre operators in grocery and many other sectors are turning sometimes belatedly to automation. This is certainly an option but not all solutions deliver really significant productivity improvements.

Labour shortages in logistics have been building for some years, by no means just because of Brexit, and the inability to fulfil orders reliably is becoming an existential threat for many firms.

Logistics UK in October claimed that “13 percent of traders are reporting severe warehouse staff shortages”; in November the Cold Chain Federation noted “10 percent to 20 percent shortage rates” among its members. [Read more…] about Opinion: How to double up grocery logistics productivity with autonomous mobile robots

Some useful tips on how to use a tubing bender

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Tubing benders are quite simple, and also a rather convenient tool that can provide consistent and accurate bends on a wide range of tubes, including steel tubes, copper tubes, and aluminum-based tubes.

There are many automated tube benders that can be electrically or hydraulically powered, as well. However, these machines are often bulky and may not be suitable for use in areas that do not have the appropriate power connections.

Manual tube and pipe benders are a good option in these cases, though. The majority of manual tubing benders can bend pipes and tubes up to 180 degrees at most. [Read more…] about Some useful tips on how to use a tubing bender

DHL Supply Chain accelerates roll-out of autonomous forklifts with largest single implementation

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DHL Supply Chain has introduced its largest ever single implementation of autonomous forklifts to date, with 15 embedded in its warehouse operations at Tyrefort, United Kingdom.

The autonomous forklifts form part of DHL’s operation for a major customer in the automotive sector, taking over picking, put-away and replenishment of products and empty media in the warehouse. The vehicles reduce the number of manual pallet transfers without requiring significant changes in warehouse infrastructure.

The indoor robotics transporters work safely up to 11.5 metres high – believed to be a first in the logistics industry – easily reaching the highest warehousing racks to handle a range of pallets, stillages and waste cages. [Read more…] about DHL Supply Chain accelerates roll-out of autonomous forklifts with largest single implementation

Medical robotics startup Clarapath raises $32 million in additional funding

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Clarapath, a robotics startup aimed at catalyzing change in the way pathology laboratories process human and animal tissues, has undertaken follow-on financing, extending its Series B round with an additional $15.5 million in funding, following the previous close of $16 million in Series B funding.

The round included The 4100 Group (the investment arm of Delta Dental), East Post Road Ventures (the investment arm of White Plains Hospital), Epiphron Capital, Northwell Ventures, P5 Health Ventures, and participation from other strategic organizations.

This brings the total raised to date by Clarapath to more than $38 million. [Read more…] about Medical robotics startup Clarapath raises $32 million in additional funding

Honeywell introduces new robotic technology to ‘help warehouses boost productivity, reduce injuries’

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Honeywell has unveiled its latest innovation in robotic technology designed to help warehouses and distribution centers automate the manual process of unloading pallets, reducing the operational risks of potential injuries and labor shortages.

Driven by sophisticated machine learning and advances in perception and gripping technologies, Honeywell’s Smart Flexible Depalletizer minimizes the need for manual labor to break down pallet loads – roles that carry risk of injury to labor, experience high turnover and are currently difficult to staff.

Driven by sophisticated machine learning and advances in perception and gripping technologies, Honeywell’s Smart Flexible Depalletizer minimizes the need for manual labor to break down pallet loads – roles that carry risk of injury to labor, experience high turnover and are currently difficult to staff. [Read more…] about Honeywell introduces new robotic technology to ‘help warehouses boost productivity, reduce injuries’

Flow Robotics brings its automated pipetting robot to North America

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Flow Robotics, a Denmark-based designer and producer of robots for automated liquid handling and the creator of the flowbot One, has established its North American subsidiary, with operations in Princeton, New Jersey. 

The company’s first product, the flowbot One, is designed to transform how liquid handling responsibilities are performed in the laboratory by automating manual pipetting tasks.

The robot will be showcased for the first time in the US at the SLAS 2021 Americas Sample Management Hybrid Symposium September 9-10 in La Jolla, California. [Read more…] about Flow Robotics brings its automated pipetting robot to North America

Quest Industrial launches new version of its Box Bot

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Quest Industrial has launched a new version of its palletizing robot, Box Bot.

The company says it is bringing robotic palletizing to more customers and markets with the launch of its new standardized Box Bot, the QB300 series, which is debuting at the ongoing Pack Expo.

The Box Box, a space-saving robotic palletizer with a small footprint, starting at just 8’x10’, allows an operator to design and produce exact pallet patterns quickly and easily from bags to boxes and other product types. [Read more…] about Quest Industrial launches new version of its Box Bot

Manual or Automated Testing: Which One Should You Choose?

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When your software is on a quality assurance stage, testing should start from two main choices: specialists and testing types. These decisions define the efficiency of task completion. First of all, you can outsource software testing to cover QA with fewer efforts and spendings, but A-quality.

The primary purpose of software testing is to find bugs and fix them. The proper testing allows effective bug fixing for a better user experience. So it is better to know how to choose the suitable test execution method.

For example, TestFort.com a software testing services company, provides two main testing types: manual and automated. Each of these methods is suitable for different cases. So we will help you to find out which one to choose depending on the kind of task. Let’s dig in! [Read more…] about Manual or Automated Testing: Which One Should You Choose?

RoboDK and Wilder Systems unveil robotic ‘drive-through’ aircraft washing system

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Automation solutions provider Wilder Systems has developed a unique robotic “drive-through” washing system for aircraft. The system reduces the task time by 95 percent and eliminates manual washing.

By using the RoboDK programming software, aerospace manufacturers can program the task without previous robotic experience.

Regular washing is a critical task in aerospace manufacturing. It helps to reduce corrosion, improving the life and safety of the aircraft. However, manual washing is a dangerous and labor-intensive task. [Read more…] about RoboDK and Wilder Systems unveil robotic ‘drive-through’ aircraft washing system

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