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Swedish online pharmacy Apotea installs ‘world’s first’ piece-picking solution integrated with AutoStore

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Sweden’s leading online pharmacy Apotea has automated its logistics centre to “quickly, easily, and smoothly deliver approximately 50,000 orders a day” to its customers.

Following international cooperation between Element Logic, AutoStore, RightHand Robotics and Apotea, the centre fully integrated eOperator piece-picking robots with an AutoStore solution, a world first.

Pharmacy products are one of the fastest-growing segments of both Swedish and European e-commerce. Apotea.se is Sweden’s largest online pharmacy, with the country’s most comprehensive range of over-the-counter products and prescription drugs. [Read more…] about Swedish online pharmacy Apotea installs ‘world’s first’ piece-picking solution integrated with AutoStore

Sevensense Robotics to showcase its Alphasense Autonomy Evaluation Kit at ProMAT

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Swiss 3D visual autonomy provider Sevensense Robotics says it is planning to present its Alphasense Autonomy Evaluation Kit at ProMAT 2023.

The software would enable “off-the-shelf prototyping solutions” for manufacturers of autonomous mobile robots, says the company.

Sevensense says automation has the potential to “exponentially increase efficiency, profitability, and safety in the logistics and manufacturing sectors”. But so far, the lack of a robust, yet flexible navigation technology has limited the scope and scale of automation in material handling operations. [Read more…] about Sevensense Robotics to showcase its Alphasense Autonomy Evaluation Kit at ProMAT

Growth in electric vehicle manufacturing drives industrial robot sales to record highs in North America

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Data released by the Association for Advancing Automation show that 44,196 robots were ordered in 2022, up 11 percent over 2021. The record results are credited to a resurgence in sales to automotive companies looking to boost electric vehicle production.

Driven by the resurgence in robot orders from automotive companies, the North American robotics market set all-time records in both robots sold and value in 2022.

According to the report from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), North American companies ordered 44,196 robots valued at $2.38 billion last year, representing increases of 11 percent and 18 percent, respectively, over 2021, the previous record. [Read more…] about Growth in electric vehicle manufacturing drives industrial robot sales to record highs in North America

Forvia increases logistics productivity with fleet of MiR robots

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Forvia, a top-tier automotive technology supplier, says it has increased its logistics productivity, strengthened stability of production processes and decreased safety risks with a fleet of robots robots from Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR).

The return of investment from the 14 autonomous mobile robots working in the Faurecia Clean Mobility plant in Písek, Czech Republic was less than two years.

Seven of Forvia’s heavy duty MiR robots, mainly MiR600s, work in the area of finished goods, bringing empty pallets to the assembly lines and picking up full pallets to transport to the logistics area. [Read more…] about Forvia increases logistics productivity with fleet of MiR robots

Warehouse robot maker Seegrid partners with Koops Automation Systems

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Seegrid, a builder of autonomous mobile robots for material handling, has agreed a strategic partnership with Koops Automation Systems, a leading systems integrator specializing in industrial automation for manufacturing environments.

The collaboration agreement enables Koops to bolster their portfolio by introducing their customers to the full suite of Seegrid Palion autonomous mobile robots and Fleet Central enterprise software solutions.

Mike Slager, director of business development for Koops Automation, says: “We are excited to be able to solve yet another set of problems our customers experience. [Read more…] about Warehouse robot maker Seegrid partners with Koops Automation Systems

Kuka launches new range of Fortec industrial robotic arms

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Industrial robot maker Kuka has launched a new range of Fortec industrial robotic arms, saying that they especially meet the new requirements of the electromobility sector.

The company says the robots of the KR Fortec ultra family “set new standards” in the heavy payload range from 480 kg to 800 kg, adding that they are ideally rated for high payloads and moments of inertia.

The new Kuka KR Fortec ultra family includes five robot variants – each ideally suited to a specific application. The KR 800, for example, handles payloads up to 800 kg. The two KR 480 variants reach up to 3,700 mm. [Read more…] about Kuka launches new range of Fortec industrial robotic arms

Amazon to employ more robots than humans

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Online retail – and logistics – giant Amazon is planning to employ more robots than humans and expects its robotic workforce to outnumber its human employees in seven years.

This is according to comments by Cathie Wood, founder and CEO, ARK Investment Management, which has more than $14 billion worth of assets under management.

Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box show, Wood said: “Amazon is adding about a thousand robots a day. [Read more…] about Amazon to employ more robots than humans

Bear Robotics unveils new service robot for hospitality industry

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Bear Robotics is launching Servi, which it describes as “an innovative new robot set to revolutionise the food service industry”.

Servi is designed to help hospitality and care home businesses, assisting staff by utilizing AI and autonomous robot technology to serve drinks and food and clear tables.

This, in turn, allows waiting staff and care home employees to focus on spending quality time and delivering outstanding service to customers and patients. [Read more…] about Bear Robotics unveils new service robot for hospitality industry

Flexiv to release ‘revolutionary’ robotic gripper

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Flexiv, a builder of general-purpose robotics solutions, is set to release a revolutionary new robotic gripper.

Featuring industrial-grade force control and an adhesive material based on a gecko’s foot pad, the Grav gripper can lift practically any item that fits within its grasp.

Touted as representing the next generation of robotic grippers, it uses impactive and contigutive grasping techniques for maximum handling flexibility. This makes it possible to lift objects which are oddly shaped or have an uneven surface texture. [Read more…] about Flexiv to release ‘revolutionary’ robotic gripper

Geek+ launches RoboShuttle Plus to compete with AutoStore

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Geek+, a provider of mobile logistics robots, has released its latest solution, RoboShuttle Plus, which looks similar to, and may compete with, the AutoStore system. 

Geek+ says its new RoboShuttle Plus system achieves one-stop storage and picking of all types of goods and delivers higher throughput and flexibility, adding that “this marks a significant advance in the interoperability of Geek+’s various robot models and a stride towards full warehouse automation”.

The upgraded solution fills the market gap for an all-in-one picking solution by coordinating of three types of robots around one centralized workstation: RoboShuttles handle vertical storage and retrieval of totes, P40 picking robots move smaller items, and P500 and P800 robots move medium to large items. [Read more…] about Geek+ launches RoboShuttle Plus to compete with AutoStore