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Paul von der Bank invents ‘world’s smallest’ robotic arc welding cell using Kuka industrial robot

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Kuka has revealed what it claims is the world’s smallest robotic cell for arc welding, developed by a company called Paul von der Bank Schweisstechnik. 

The tiny cell – of about 1 cubic metre – is also said to have achieved a 50 per cent increase in productivity. It uses Kuka Agilus robots.

The cell, named the WTG 1200, is already being used by companies such as Brüninghaus & Drissner.  [Read more…] about Paul von der Bank invents ‘world’s smallest’ robotic arc welding cell using Kuka industrial robot

Foxconn reaches 40,000 industrial robot installations

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Foxconn, the Taiwan-headquartered industrial robotics and automation company which makes a lot of Apple’s devices including the iPhone and iPad, says it has now installed 40,000 industrial robots in mainland China.

This is according to a report on the Next Big Future website, which adds that company plans to increase that figure ten-fold.

The robots are built almost entirely in-house with the exception of some components like servo motors and speed reducers, said Foxconn’s Dai Chia-peng to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, as quoted by DigiTimes.  [Read more…] about Foxconn reaches 40,000 industrial robot installations

Integro Technologies wins Universal Robots deal

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Integro Technologies has been selected as a Certified System Integrator for Universal Robots. 

Integro is a machine vision integrator based in Salisbury, North Carolina. Universal Robots is a pioneer in collaborative robotics worldwide.

Through industrial leadership the two companies say they have established a new sector in the market and lowered the implementation costs associated with traditional robotic safety requirements, vision guided robotic pick-n-place, and multi-point inspection applications.  [Read more…] about Integro Technologies wins Universal Robots deal

Collaborative robot: Human-machine harmony

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An illustration of CanisDrive, a new range of compact hollow shaft servo actuators launched by Harmonic Drive

Richard Hurst, product manager at Harmonic Drive looks at the latest technological advancements, such as high precision gears, that are allowing these trends to move from the periphery of the industry into the mainstream

The biggest trends in the robotics industry include collaborative robots (CoBots), a move towards high precision applications and the rise of the Internet of Robot Things (IoRT). 

Between 2010 and 2014, robot sales reached 171,000 units globally, a rise of 48 per cent on the previous four years and representing a compound annual growth rate of 17 per cent.

This is according to research by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), which also identified China as the world’s biggest buyer of industrial robots with a 25 per cent share of the worldwide market.  [Read more…] about Collaborative robot: Human-machine harmony

Vacuum cleaning robots invading homes all over the world

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Long-exposure photo showing path taken by Roomba in 45 minutes. Picture: Wikipedia

Other than washing the dishes, vacuuming the house is probably the most boring activity in the world, and probably only a very few sane humans would enjoy the activity. 

But household chores need to be done, and it is this human right to avoid boring tasks which the robots are exploiting to find their way into homes all over the world.

In the future, when we look back at how the robots took over everything, it’s probably not industrial robots which will be blamed – because they’re mostly caged off and controlled inside factories: it’s the vacuuming and other cleaning robots we should be scared of.

They might look innocent – with their rounded edges and small, apparently unintimidating size, maybe even reminiscent of a slow-moving pet cat, only better behaved – but vacuuming robots could be seen as the artificially intelligent machine army’s frontline infantry in the battle for the future of humanity, and they are gaining more and more floorspace every day.  [Read more…] about Vacuum cleaning robots invading homes all over the world

Robotic process automation and artificial intelligence will ‘drastically transform modern workplace’, says IQPC

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Special offer for Robotics and Automation News readers: Use discount code VIP_RANEWS to get 20 per cent off

Forget the hype, robotic process automation and artificial intelligence are both a reality, says event organiser

Robotic process automation and artificial intelligence will drastically transform the modern workplace, according to IQPC, the organiser of the Robotic Process Automation and Artificial Intelligence Summit.

Will you embrace this technological change to make cost reductions, improve performance and enhance real-time decision making? When you think about it, this all adds up to massive competitive advantage, says IQPC.  [Read more…] about Robotic process automation and artificial intelligence will ‘drastically transform modern workplace’, says IQPC

Your next nurse could be a robot, say scientists who trained one

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Robots can successfully imitate human motions in the operating room, claim scientists

The nursing assistant for your next trip to the hospital might be a robot. This is the implication of research recently published by Dr Elena De Momi and colleagues in the open access journal Frontiers in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.

Dr De Momi, of the Politecnico di Milano, in Italy, led an international team that trained a robot to imitate natural human actions. De Momi’s work indicates that humans and robots can effectively coordinate their actions during high-stakes events such as surgeries.

Over time this should lead to improvements in safety during surgeries because unlike their human counterparts robots do not tire and can complete an endless series of precise movements. The goal is not to remove human expertise from the operating room, but to complement it with a robot’s particular skills and benefits.  [Read more…] about Your next nurse could be a robot, say scientists who trained one

Servosila launches robotic arm for mobile market

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Servosila, a robotics technology company, has launched a new line of robotic arm manipulators specifically targeted at mobile robotics market.

Gary Silver, chief marketing officer for Servosila, says: “Servosila robotic arms are the first manipulators specifically designed for mobile robots. It is very easy to retrofit any existing robotic chassis or a torso with a Servosila robotic arm.”

Servosila robotic arms are attachable payload modules for mobile service robots or other robotic platforms. Servosila robotic arms are typically mounted on a chassis or a torso of a mobile robot and be powered by an on-board power supply system of the host robotic platform.  [Read more…] about Servosila launches robotic arm for mobile market

Startup claims launch of ‘world’s first robot to sew complete garment’

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Sewbo says its development is a major breakthrough in clothing manufacturing 

A startup company in America is claiming to have developed a robotic system which can make complete garments. 

The simple combination of a robot and a sewing machine has resulted in what the owner, Jonathan Zornow, says is “the world’s first robotically-sewn garment”.

Zornow says: “Many people are surprised to learn that this is the very first time that a robot has sewn a piece of clothing.

“Despite decades and millions of dollars worth of industrial research, the big hurdle has been that robots can’t reliably handle fabrics.”  [Read more…] about Startup claims launch of ‘world’s first robot to sew complete garment’

Exclusive: Nasa scientists set to revolutionise oil and gas business with robotics and automation technology

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Houston company says it is bringing advanced technology from Nasa to elevate oil and gas operations through robotics and automation

A Texas business grounded in aerospace experience and space technology is changing the face of oil and gas.

Houston Mechatronics, a company founded by former Nasa roboticists, is incorporating intelligent automation and robotics into the energy industry in ways that streamline operations, improve both costs and quality, and remove workers from hazardous environments.

The recent focus on oil and gas was a natural one, says Matthew Ondler, Houston Mechatronics’ co-founder and president. Although the company works with clients across a range of industries, energy is feeling a pinch.  [Read more…] about Exclusive: Nasa scientists set to revolutionise oil and gas business with robotics and automation technology