Robotics & Automation News

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Acieta launches mobile collaborative robotic work cell

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Now is an especially challenging time for machine shops facing capacity shortfalls and labor shortages. To address these struggles, Acieta has launched what it says is its “simplest to use, most flexible cobot solution ever” – the FastLoad CX1000 collaborative expandable robotic cell.

To prevent shop equipment from sitting idle, the FastLoad CX1000 is mounted on a mobile platform that one worker can move easily so it can be quickly set up at different machines around the shop.

The system is equipped with a Fanuc 10KG, 120 V collaborative robotic arm to master material handling tasks. It can be outfitted with up to three modular carts to handle a wide variety of parts or allow more parts in the queue. [Read more…] about Acieta launches mobile collaborative robotic work cell

Automotive Parts and Pieces: How Concept Vehicles Actually Become Reality

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Did you know it takes a full three years to take a vehicle from the concept phase all the way to production?

That’s three years, thousands of human hours and millions of dollars to get a brand new vehicle from the drawing board to your driveway.

It’s quite an amazing feat when you really think about it – prototyping in the automotive industry! [Read more…] about Automotive Parts and Pieces: How Concept Vehicles Actually Become Reality

A Story of 3D Printers and Robots

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3D printing is a true modern-day marvel. It’s the perfect example of how advancement in one particular technological area can trigger an exponential effect in the industry as a whole, as well as other industries.

With any new technological revelation, the most exciting aspect is how that discovery will impact the world as a whole and what interesting ways people will use it.

And 3D printing is that recent technological trend, which has made its way into every corner of the world. And one of the spheres it has had a huge impact on is the world of robotics. [Read more…] about A Story of 3D Printers and Robots

BMW opens new $17 million additive manufacturing facility

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BMW has officially opened its new “Additive Manufacturing Campus”. 

The new centre brings together production of prototype and series parts under one roof, along with research into new 3D printing technologies, and associate training for the global rollout of toolless production.

The facility will likely 3D print parts for the Rolls-Royce Phantom, BMW i8 Roadster and MINI John Cooper Works GP, which contains no less than four 3D-printed components as standard. [Read more…] about BMW opens new $17 million additive manufacturing facility

How Robotics Work in the Plastic Injection Molding Industry

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Driven by the never-ending increasing demand for more flexible solutions, industrial robots are extensively used in today’s plastics industry in all areas of the production process, including injection molding related operations.

Industrial robots can be used to automate the injection molding process by using a pick-and-place robot to load plastic parts into the machine or to place the finished pieces onto a conveyor belt.

And as human-operated injection molding leaves room for variations, the use of robots in the process ensures the production of the highest quality, accurately cut, formed, and measured finished products every single time. [Read more…] about How Robotics Work in the Plastic Injection Molding Industry

Mazak launches new laser processing machine for small and medium diameter tube

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Yamazaki Mazak is launching a new high-productivity laser processing machine specifically designed for the high-speed, large lot cutting of small and medium diameter tube.

The new FT-150 FIBER is a compact laser processing machine that benefits from an ergonomic design, with the operator area, loading station and unloading station all located on the same side.

Equipped with a 3.0kW fiber resonator, the FT-150 FIBER can process single workpieces up to 6,500mm in length and 150kg in weight, with a maximum tube diameter of 152.4mm. 8,000mm and 180kg options are also available. [Read more…] about Mazak launches new laser processing machine for small and medium diameter tube

Swiss Productions installs two OB7 cobots to operate their CNC mill machines

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Swiss Productions says it has gained a competitive advantage by implementing two Productive Robotics OB7 collaborative robots on their CNC mills to eliminate idle spindle time and maximize production. (See video below.)

From a family owned company that started in a 750 square foot facility and five screw machines, Swiss Productions has grown to what it is today – a high quality, precision, and reliable screw machine shop producing over 2 million parts per month to customers worldwide in the medical, electronics, aerospace, and government industries.

Located in Ventura, California, Swiss Productions today has over 50 screw machines and 30 secondary machines and produces components ranging in size from 2.5 inches in diameter down to syringe tips measuring .019 inches in diameter. [Read more…] about Swiss Productions installs two OB7 cobots to operate their CNC mill machines

MakerBot adds specialty materials for functional 3D printing prototypes

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MakerBot, a 3D printing company and subsidiary of Stratasys, has expanded the materials portfolio for its “Method” 3D printer with two new materials – PC-ABS and PC-ABS FR.

The addition of these new materials brings the number of MakerBot materials for Method to 10, underscoring the company’s efforts to deliver a wider range of industrial-grade solutions to open more additive manufacturing applications for engineers.

PC-ABS (polycarbonate-acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) has high heat resistant properties and high tensile strength, which make it optimal for use across automotive, rail, and electronics industries. [Read more…] about MakerBot adds specialty materials for functional 3D printing prototypes

Universal Robots launches ‘world’s first’ autonomous bin picking kit for machine tending

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Universal Robots has launched what it says is “the world’s first” autonomous bin picking kit for machine tending applications.

“ActiNav” is a new UR+ application kit for companies of all sizes that, Universal says, simplifies the integration of autonomous bin picking of parts and accurate placement in machines using UR cobots.

ActiNav synchronously handles vision processing, collision-free motion planning and autonomous real-time robot control, eliminating the complexity and risk usually associated with bin picking applications. [Read more…] about Universal Robots launches ‘world’s first’ autonomous bin picking kit for machine tending

Overcoming metrology bottlenecks in additive manufacturing

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By Eric Felkel, product manager optical profilers, Zygo Corporation

Undoubtedly there are many benefits associated with the use of additive manufacturing as a production technology.

Across industries, manufacturers exploit the fact that through the use of additive manufacturing they can not only build complex parts – in one piece – which were previously impossible, but they can also build stronger, lighter weight parts, reduce material consumption, and benefit from assembly component consolidation across a range of applications.

These advantages have been well documented during the last 10-20 years as additive manufacturing has emerged as a truly disruptive technology for not just prototyping but also production, and are invariably seen as being enabled by the additive hardware that builds the parts. [Read more…] about Overcoming metrology bottlenecks in additive manufacturing