Robotics & Automation News

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Ubuntu could force itself to look at that creepy-looking canine robot CyberDog

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Canonical, the company which manages the Ubuntu open-source operating system, is reportedly planning to deepen its understanding of a creepy-looking canine robot called CyberDog – probably giving itself nightmares in the process.

CyberDog is a quadrupedal, experimental, open-source robot created by Chinese mobile phone giant Xiaomi. This canine robot is eerily similar to the other, more famous and even more terrifying robot dog produced by Boston Dynamics. That one – called Spot – is also open source.

Xiaomi says its aim in releaasing CyberDog is to “improve the robot development environment and promote the development of the robot industry”. Xiaomi says it has a clear vision for its product. [Read more…] about Ubuntu could force itself to look at that creepy-looking canine robot CyberDog

Flexiv gains ‘world’s first’ CE and ETL certification for ‘force-controlled robot’

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Flexiv, a maker of “general-purpose” robotics, has received CE and ETL approval for their Rizon 4 robot, making it the “first-ever” seven-axis force-controlled adaptive robot to achieve both certifications at the same time, according to the company.

Demonstrating the “intrinsic safety” of the Rizon 4 robot, the CE and ETL approval was awarded by the world’s foremost testing, inspection, certification and assurance provider, Intertek. Accepted in the EU and Northern America, the approval enables Flexiv to distribute the Rizon 4 in the European Union, Canada, and the USA.

Meeting or exceeding the strict CE and ETL requirements, the Rizon 4 was subjected to hundreds of individual testing, evaluations, and assessments focused on machinery safety, electrical safety, functional safety, environmental reliability, electromagnetic compatibility, and collision detection. [Read more…] about Flexiv gains ‘world’s first’ CE and ETL certification for ‘force-controlled robot’

Mecademic Robotics expands into huge markets with its tiny robot

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Mecademic Robotics, the Canada-based maker of a tiny industrial robot, is expanding into some of the largest robotics markets in the world.

The company has reached strategic agreements with new “value-added partners” which will enable it to grow into reginal markets in the US, Canada, France, Germany, and Australia.

As the global market continues to see increased demand for small industrial robot arms, Mecademic says it has increased its production capacity and regional presence to better serve its customers.

Mecademic describes its new partners – which are Allied Automation (USA), The Knotts Company (USA), Electromate (Canada), Pagès Group (France), LMZ (Germany), and Andrew Donald Design Engineering (Australia) – as “cutting-edge automation solution providers”. [Read more…] about Mecademic Robotics expands into huge markets with its tiny robot

PickNik Robotics releases beta version of MoveIt Studio

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PickNik Robotics, a robotics software and engineering services company which has won a contract with NASA, has released additional details about its MoveIt Studio software platform and the made the beta version of the product available.

PickNik says MoveIt Studio provides “state-of-the-art motion planning software” with an intuitive user interface that now makes it easy for robot operators to remotely manage complex robotic arms that require supervised autonomy.

In space missions, for example, robotic arms are used to repair satellites and augment astronauts inside space stations, and will also be used to build the future Moon base. [Read more…] about PickNik Robotics releases beta version of MoveIt Studio

Fully automatic picking of unknown products from bulk material

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The goal: fully automated small parts picking.

In intralogistics, there has been a lot of hype about robots for some years now, whether in trade journals or at fairs.

Most of them are classic six-axis articulated robots that are looking for their way out of a production environment and into logistics.

The main driver here is the labour shortage, the big challenge not a technical component like the robot or the gripper, but the design of an overall economic process. [Read more…] about Fully automatic picking of unknown products from bulk material

Panasonic Robot and Welding expands collaboration with Claas Saulgau

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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

Winners of the Robotics and Automation News Awards 2021-22

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The votes are counted and decisions made, so… Congratulations to all the winners of the Robotics and Automation News Awards 2021-22, in association with SICK Sensor Intelligence. 

Download a copy of the publication: Robotics and Automation News Awards 2021-22

Watch the video below or on YouTube: Robotics and Automation News Awards 2021-22

The awful coronavirus pandemic has changed many people’s lives forever. Many have lost loved ones and many more have suffered illness and inconvenience to their lives and livelihoods.

For businesses in many sectors, it has been extremely difficult to keep going through lockdowns which reduced their income to zero or thereabouts. And despite previously unimaginable levels of government support, they were forced to wind down, perhaps to fight another day sometime in the future. [Read more…] about Winners of the Robotics and Automation News Awards 2021-22

Omron invests in collaborative robot company Techman Robot

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Industrial giant Omron has reached an agreement for a capital investment in Techman Robot, believed to be the world’s second-largest collaborative robot brand.

Omron will hold a stake of approximately 10 percent in Techman. The investment is expected to be completed by December 2021.

In 2018, Omron entered into a strategic alliance with Techman to meet the increasing automation needs generated by labour shortages. [Read more…] about Omron invests in collaborative robot company Techman Robot

Panasonic partners with DSL Schweisstechnik in robotic welding

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Panasonic Robot and Welding System Solutions, a department of Panasonic Factory Solutions, and DSL Schweisstechnik, one of the largest technical distributors of welding hardware in Germany, have agreed a collaboration.

DSL Schweisstechnik will distribute the Panasonic Robot and Welding portfolio, highlighting high-end welding robot solutions such as the Tawers systems, Performarc welding systems or Lapriss laser welding systems for industrial sectors such as automotive or industrial.

With extensive sales and service experience at three locations Mannheim, Nuremberg and Wuerzburg, DSL Schweisstechnik is a valued partner that extends Panasonic Robot and Welding solutions directly to customers in Germany. [Read more…] about Panasonic partners with DSL Schweisstechnik in robotic welding

OnRobot launches WebLytics software solution for collaborative applications

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OnRobot, a maker of end-of-arm tools for industrial robots, is making its software debut with the launch of WebLytics, which the company describes as “a unique production monitoring, device diagnostics, and data analytics solution designed to enhance productivity and minimize downtime”.

Capable of monitoring the performance of multiple collaborative applications simultaneously and in real-time, WebLytics gathers equipment data from both robots and tools and transforms it into easy-to-understand, visualized device and application-level intelligence.

Enrico Krog Iversen, CEO of OnRobot, says: “The launch of WebLytics is an important landmark for OnRobot, our customers, and our global integrator network. [Read more…] about OnRobot launches WebLytics software solution for collaborative applications