Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

production

Hexagon unveils automated platform to accelerate autonomous robotic quality assurance

by

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division, which supplies smart manufacturing technologies to giants from Volkswagen to Boeing, has unveiled its HxGN Robotic Automation, which it describes as a “pioneering robotic programming and control software” that enables non-specialist quality professionals to program industrial robots to perform fully automated quality inspection.

The platform enables manufacturers to equip greenfield factories or retrofit existing production lines with state-of-the-art autonomous optical inspection cells, accelerating time to market by eliminating historic bottlenecks while providing more complete data direct from the production line as products are made.

HxGN says its robotic automation enables manufacturers to accelerate adoption of Industry 4.0 by intelligently devising optimal inspection routines in a single step; a task that would typically demand significant time and attention from both a metrology and robotics professional. [Read more…] about Hexagon unveils automated platform to accelerate autonomous robotic quality assurance

ABB unveils two new OmniCore robot controllers

by

ABB has expanded its OmniCore robot controller range with two new versions – the E10 and the V250XT. The company says the new controllers provide for an even wider range of manufacturing applications.

ABB says the two new products in its OmniCore range “meet the demand for faster, more efficient production”.

Available for a range of robots across ABB’s portfolio, the new E10 and V250XT controllers offer “best-in-class motion control”, says ABB, as well as 20 percent energy savings and future-proofing through built-in digital connectivity and 1000+ additional functions to meet changing requirements. [Read more…] about ABB unveils two new OmniCore robot controllers

Door locking systems manufacturer turns to Delta for machine vision robotic solution

by

Metal LS, a Bulgarian manufacturer of door locking systems, door and window handles and building hardware, started planning the new automated assembly of door locks in 2019.

The robotic systems that the company already used for other applications were too large for the planned production site, so the new solutions needed to be as compact and precise as possible, in addition to being state of the art.

Door and security locks are precision parts with standard dimensions and components stipulated in DIN standards. Therefore, quality and precision were especially important deciding factors for Metal LS. [Read more…] about Door locking systems manufacturer turns to Delta for machine vision robotic solution

Robot-assisted assembly of high-voltage connectors for electric vehicles

by

Assembling high-voltage connectors for electric and hybrid vehicles at a rate of 5 million per year calls for sophisticated automation solutions. Especially when regular retooling for new models and variants is the norm. Against this background, a pioneering system with six Stäubli robots, 13 image processing systems and inline quality control at every stage is now ensuring highly flexible production.

Electro-mobility is the buzzword of our times, and the market for vehicles with electric drives is steadily gaining momentum worldwide. For some time now, this trend has also been spurring demand for the type of assembly solutions for electric components offered by specialized machine builders such as Eberhard. The company, based in Schlierbach near Stuttgart, Germany, was recently asked by a multinational automotive supplier to implement a complex project.

Specifically, it involved the planning and realization of an assembly line for high-voltage connectors. The system would have to not only perform the actual assembly work, but also the visual inspection at each stage, the testing of every single connector for leak-proofing, and finally the packing of the finished high-voltage connectors in trays. [Read more…] about Robot-assisted assembly of high-voltage connectors for electric vehicles

Stanley Engineered Fastening achieves automated quality inspection with Universal Robots

by

Universal Robots, the world’s leading collaborative robot provider, says Stanley Engineered Fastening has successfully introduced robotic quality inspection using its collaborative robots.

15 UR3e cobots act as key components in its brand-new cells for Breakstem autonomous manufacture which have reduced product costs by approximately 10 percent and shortened lead times by up to 70 percent.

They are producing approximately 350 million fasteners per annum from across the company’s product range. [Read more…] about Stanley Engineered Fastening achieves automated quality inspection with Universal Robots

ABB and Zume to accelerate transition away from single use plastics

by

ABB Robotics has signed an agreement to collaborate with California-based Zume, a global provider of innovative, compostable packaging.

ABB will supply robotic cells that will enable Zume’s production of sustainable packaging on a global scale, helping to reduce reliance on single-use plastics.

ABB will integrate and install more than 1,000 molded fiber manufacturing cells (MFC) – including up to 2,000 robots at Zume customer’s sites worldwide over the next five years. [Read more…] about ABB and Zume to accelerate transition away from single use plastics

Panasonic Robot and Welding expands collaboration with Claas Saulgau

by

Panasonic Robot and Welding System Solutions, a business unit of Panasonic Factory Solutions, and Claas Saulgau GmbH, a producer of agricultural machinery with over 100 years of experience, say they have “intensified” their existing collaboration.

Claas Saugau is extending its production facilities with three new welding systems with a total of five Panasonic welding robots of the latest generation and technology.

Frederik Kahlbau, key account manager for Claas Saulgau, says: “We delivered the first Panasonic welding system to Claas Saulgau GmbH in 2014. [Read more…] about Panasonic Robot and Welding expands collaboration with Claas Saulgau

Prime Vision and VDL bring sorting robots to the US

by

VDL Groep and Prime Vision have been jointly producing robots for the American market.

Delft-based Prime Vision has developed the Robotic Sorting concept, the sorting of shipments by so-called Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs).

VDL Industrial Modules from Helmond has taken responsibility for the production of the AMRs. [Read more…] about Prime Vision and VDL bring sorting robots to the US

ABB launches FlexLoader M range to ‘bring the power of modularity to machine tending’

by

ABB has launched a new range of modular machine tending application cells for the metals industry aimed at maximizing flexibility and machine utilization while minimizing lost productivity caused by unforeseen production stoppages.

Featuring six different versions, the FlexLoader M family offers a variety of ways of loading and unloading machines based on the size, shapes and amount of the workpieces being handled, making it ideal for applications such as foundries and die casting operations producing multiple types of products in varying quantities.

Andrea Cassoni, managing director for business line general industry for ABB Robotics, says: “As customers demand greater variety and shorter delivery times, metals producers need to have a manufacturing process that can respond quickly and offer the flexibility to achieve high mix, low volume and batch size one production. [Read more…] about ABB launches FlexLoader M range to ‘bring the power of modularity to machine tending’

Symbio Robotics unveils software update to ‘further modernize manufacturing assembly’

by

Symbio Robotics, the provider of a platform that enables AI-powered automation solutions, launched SymbioDCS 2.0, which the company describes as “a major update” to the company’s flagship middleware and python programming framework.

With a streamlined automation solution development and deployment process, the updated platform contains a series of breakthrough features to support accelerated electric vehicle timelines and emissions-reduction goals by automakers through real-time robot-controlled apps such as insertion, fastening, and moving lines.

Max Reynolds, Symbio CEO and co-founder, says: “The demand for Symbio’s technology continues to increase as mounting pressure on automotive companies to change their factory footprint and increase production of EVs grows. The recent Ford and GM announcements to put billions into EV-focused factories is hard evidence of this. [Read more…] about Symbio Robotics unveils software update to ‘further modernize manufacturing assembly’