Robotics & Automation News

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Sprint Robotics launches innovation challenge with €50,000 for winner

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Sprint Robotics has launched a new industrial innovation challenge and has issued a call for robotic technologies for Cleaning & Fabric Maintenance.

Sprint Robotics announces the CFM Challenge, aiming to find demonstrable robotic technologies that can be used for the cleaning and fabric maintenance of storage tanks, pressure vessels, process piping, and their associated supporting infrastructure.

One winning solution provider will receive a reward of €50,000 and the opportunity to further develop their solution and its application. [Read more…] about Sprint Robotics launches innovation challenge with €50,000 for winner

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

Realtime Robotics partners with Siemens to simplify integration of robotic workcells

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Realtime Robotics is partnering with Siemens to simplify the integration of robotic workcells into industrial facilities. (See video below.)

Realtime Robotics, which specialises in autonomous motion planning for industrial robots, says the initiative is part of its strategic partnership with Siemens Digital Industries Software division.

Realtime’s technology is being seamlessly integrated into the Tecnomatix portfolio, simplifying robot programming and workcell coordination by automating motion programming. [Read more…] about Realtime Robotics partners with Siemens to simplify integration of robotic workcells

inVia Robotics expands into Asia with Kantsu implementation

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Kantsu has selected inVia Robotics, a provider of warehouse automation solutions, to supply autonomous mobile robots that automate fulfillment operations in its primary distribution center in Osaka, Japan.

inVia’s modular automation system, which includes a fleet of 200 autonomous mobile robots and AI-driven software, will modernize Kantsu’s e-commerce fulfillment process.

It will automate the picking process and allow warehouse workers to sort at rates of 800-900 units per hour per person, says inVia. [Read more…] about inVia Robotics expands into Asia with Kantsu implementation

Softing Industrial Automation joins Endress+Hauser’s IIoT network

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Softing Industrial Automation has joined the “Open Integration” network set up by Endress+Hauser, which says its partner program is gaining importance through its IIoT solutions.

Endress says people in the industry often ask, “How can field instruments and components be easily integrated into automation systems?”

The answer to this question is becoming increasingly important as industrial production digitalization progresses, says the company. [Read more…] about Softing Industrial Automation joins Endress+Hauser’s IIoT network

How automation can help fast track a vaccine

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When there’s a Covid-19 vaccine, we’ll all want one fast. Here’s how Honeywell says digital tools can help speed up the process…

The coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated the need to develop a vaccine as quickly as possible.

The typical vaccine development and production process depends on how the vaccine is created, with the manufacturing process taking anywhere from several days to several weeks for a single batch.

As the coronavirus spreads around the world, the urgency of being able to scale up a vaccine is even more critical. [Read more…] about How automation can help fast track a vaccine

Interview: Startup Reflect developing new solution to ‘a real industrial problem’

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Interview with George Papanikolopoulos, CEO of CASP, which is developing a software solution to what he describes as ‘a real industrial problem’

Reflect is one of the experiments that successfully passed to Phase II of the first Open Call in ESMERA, the EU agency that has a multimillion-euro budget to help robotic startups. 

Being one of the 12 experiments that started in ESMERA in the summer of 2019, Reflect proved its concept to external evaluators and has been selected as one of the currently five final experiments in Phase II. [Read more…] about Interview: Startup Reflect developing new solution to ‘a real industrial problem’

Laser interferometry: An enabling technology for optimized automated manufacturing

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By Tyler Steele, product manager – laser interferometers, Zygo

In this article, precision Beryllium mirror manufacturer Cambridge Technology explains how the use of interferometry hardware and software solutions has streamlined its manufacturing processes and added efficiencies as well as time and cost-savings across the company. 

Technological advances over recent years have elevated metrology from being a “necessary evil” in manufacturing scenarios to enabling technologies, allowing the measurement of previously impossible part characteristics and therefore driving innovation across numerous industry sectors.

It is arguable that best-in-class metrology solutions are the catalyst that drive the trend towards miniaturization, higher precision, faster throughput, and fewer rejects.

As the old adage goes, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t make it”, but if you can measure to the required accuracy repeatably, then the sky is the limit in terms of producing cutting-edge parts and components. [Read more…] about Laser interferometry: An enabling technology for optimized automated manufacturing

ATI partners with 3M to present webinar about material removal tools

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ATI Industrial Automation and 3M will co-present a free webinar, Three Pillars of Successful Material Removal, on Thursday, May 14, 2020 at 12pm ET.

The event, hosted by the Robotics Industries Association, will identify key concepts for successful robotic material removal.

The presentations by Dan Merritt, ATI’s material removal product manager, and Sarah Mullins, 3M global applications engineer, will feature real-world examples of the benefits of robotic material removal and illustrate how common challenges are overcome with the right application design. [Read more…] about ATI partners with 3M to present webinar about material removal tools

4 key questions to ask before getting started with collaborative robots

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By Darrell Adams, head, Southeast Asia and Oceania, Universal Robots

Small and mid-sized manufacturers can be especially hard hit by sudden changes such as economic volatility, intense competitive pressure, seasonal demands or even an unexpected global crisis, like the current Covid-19 pandemic.

When labour requirements increase or decrease drastically, having the ability to ramp up production when demand is high and remain sustainable during downtime is crucial.

For these companies, having a workforce supported by collaborative robots or cobots, would be a dream come true. [Read more…] about 4 key questions to ask before getting started with collaborative robots