Robotics & Automation News

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Washington university develops 3D-printed robotic gripper that can pick up anything, no matter what its geometry

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At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, car manufacturing companies such as Ford quickly shifted their production focus from automobiles to masks and ventilators.

To make this switch possible, these companies relied on people working on an assembly line. It would have been too challenging for a robot to make this transition because robots are tied to their usual tasks.

Theoretically, a robot could pick up almost anything if its grippers could be swapped out for each task. To keep costs down, these grippers could be passive, meaning grippers pick up objects without changing shape, similar to how the tongs on a forklift work. [Read more…] about Washington university develops 3D-printed robotic gripper that can pick up anything, no matter what its geometry

ABB launches new, ‘fastest’ five-axis Delta robot

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ABB has launched a new five-axis Delta robot which it claims is “the fastest for lightweight product picking, packing and reorientation”.

The new machine is part of the FlexPicker Delta robot portfolio and is called the IRB 365. With five axis and 1.5 kg payload, the IRB 365 is both flexible and the fastest in its class for reorienting packaged lightweight products such as cookies, chocolates, peppers, candies, small bottles, and parcels.

Responding to the rise in e-commerce and growing demand for shelf ready packaged goods, the IRB 365 has been developed for applications including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods, where production line speed and adaptability are essential. [Read more…] about ABB launches new, ‘fastest’ five-axis Delta robot

Automating cricket ball production: Global cricket ball manufacturer uses automation with a vision system for efficiency and upskilling

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Under the laws of cricket, it is illegal for players to rub any substance other than saliva and sweat onto the ball, let alone scuffing it with their fingernails. Similarly, strict rules apply to the manufacturing of cricket balls.

Here’s how cricket ball manufacturer Kookaburra designed its first ever machine tending robotic system to produce the perfect ball, with the help of industrial robot supplier, TM Robotics and MAP Services, Australian partner for TM Robotics and Shibaura Machine.

Machine tending is repetitive work. The job of loading and unloading machines with parts or materials are usually done by humans. In the production of cricket balls, workers would place covers – the outside leather of cricket balls – onto trays after being pressed into shape to form half of a cricket ball. These trays are then placed into a rack and moved to the next process – trimming excess leather from the pressed cover. [Read more…] about Automating cricket ball production: Global cricket ball manufacturer uses automation with a vision system for efficiency and upskilling

Benefits of Hiring an Offshore Development Team

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The use of offshore development teams began back in the late eighties. The companies that use them today have seen tremendous success. The ones that have not switched over need to catch up with the times.

Professionals from around the world all agree that new startups need to take the time to find an offshore development team to help them gain traction, and to ensure that they make a profit quickly.

Fortunly has found that 54 percent of all companies use offshore teams, and out of those 78 percent of them feel that it has had a positive impact on them. [Read more…] about Benefits of Hiring an Offshore Development Team

Berkshire Grey unveils robotic pick and pack solutions for e-commerce fulfillment

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Berkshire Grey has launched a range of Robotic Pick and Pack solutions for e-commerce fulfillment.

Berkshire Grey RPP solutions automate picking and packing of items directly from inventory totes to outbound customer shipping packages.

This solution improves operational efficiency for fulfillment centers, reduces shipping costs and lowers the environmental impact of eCommerce orders. [Read more…] about Berkshire Grey unveils robotic pick and pack solutions for e-commerce fulfillment

Zebra Technologies expands Fetch Robotics portfolio with solution to optimize fulfillment workflows

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Zebra Technologies, which provides automation solutions to the supply chain sector, has introduced what it claims is “the industry’s most comprehensive picking solution to help businesses improve their fulfillment operations”.

The fulfillment solution uses machines from Fetch Robotics, which Zebra recently acquired, and consists of three new autonomous mobile robots – FlexShelf, FlexShelf Guide, and RollerTop Guide – and a new FetchCore fulfillment software package for order or batch picking.

These new offerings further extend Zebra’s position as a leader in automating and digitizing critical workflows in warehouses, distribution and fulfillment centers as order volumes increase, labor pools get more competitive and customer expectations continue to rise. [Read more…] about Zebra Technologies expands Fetch Robotics portfolio with solution to optimize fulfillment workflows

Lyro goes global through collaboration with IMI Precision Engineering

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Brisbane, Australia-based Lyro Robotics has been contracted to license their Lyro Machine Intelligence software to US based IMI Precision Engineering.

This technology partnership will deliver smart robots that will replicate the “hands”, “eyes” and “brain” of human capabilities in automation and logistics applications.

The partnership means the two companies will work to deliver a full-stack robotic solution to satisfy the rising global demand for automated bin picking in various industries, such as agriculture, logistics and e-commerce. [Read more…] about Lyro goes global through collaboration with IMI Precision Engineering

Brenton Engineering showcases new end of arm tool for pallet work

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Brenton Engineering has redesigned its MP1000 Robotic Bulk Palletizing / Depalletizing End of Arm Tool.

The company says the new device can pick up full layers of product at one time, making it a great time-saving solution for a variety of industries, including plastic container manufacturers.

The MP1000 provides consistent tight layer grids of palletized and depalletized product through cradle and place technology that combines a servo-operated rotary tool and slat system to gently handle full layers of product weighing up to 500 pounds with each motion. [Read more…] about Brenton Engineering showcases new end of arm tool for pallet work

TerraClear raises $25 million to commercialize Robotic Rock Picker

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TerraClear, an applied AI and robotics company, announced Series A funding of $25 million led by Madrona Venture Group, bringing the company’s total funding to $38 million. Rocks in fields break machinery, slow precision farming, and take up valuable time that modern farms do not have.

TerraClear’s Rock Picker picks an average of 400 rocks per hour and can pick up rocks of up to 300 pounds each.

In the past year, TerraClear has deployed early versions of their solution that both map and clear fields of rocks. These rocks not only break the backs of those picking them up, but break increasingly expensive precision machinery that is in common use by farmers for planting, irrigating and harvesting. [Read more…] about TerraClear raises $25 million to commercialize Robotic Rock Picker

Universal Robots handpicks systems integrators to implement ActiNav next-generation machine loading

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To better address demand for its popular ActiNav flexible machine loading system, Universal Robots has “handpicked” a number of integrators as ActiNav solutions providers.

Today, solutions for unstructured picking and placing of parts into machines are solely focused on the vision aspect, often requiring additional programming to bridge the gap from “pick” to “place” – especially if the “place” is not just dropping into a box but accurately inserting parts into fixtures for further processing.

Universal says its ActiNav product changes all that, combining real-time autonomous motion control, Universal Robots cobots, vision and sensor systems in one seamless Application Kit that solves the random bin picking challenge in machine tending applications. [Read more…] about Universal Robots handpicks systems integrators to implement ActiNav next-generation machine loading