Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

shapes

Washington university develops 3D-printed robotic gripper that can pick up anything, no matter what its geometry

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At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, car manufacturing companies such as Ford quickly shifted their production focus from automobiles to masks and ventilators.

To make this switch possible, these companies relied on people working on an assembly line. It would have been too challenging for a robot to make this transition because robots are tied to their usual tasks.

Theoretically, a robot could pick up almost anything if its grippers could be swapped out for each task. To keep costs down, these grippers could be passive, meaning grippers pick up objects without changing shape, similar to how the tongs on a forklift work. [Read more…] about Washington university develops 3D-printed robotic gripper that can pick up anything, no matter what its geometry

Siasun develops robotic system for packing cigarettes

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Chinese industrial robotics company Siasun has developed a new system for packing cigarettes which can cope with the ever-changing shapes and dimensions of tobacco products and packaging.

The company is using a delta robot to pack cigarettes into packaging which is increasingly unusual in the way it is designed, with some opening in the middle and other opening on the narrow side instead of the wide edge, which is the usual method globally. (See illustration below.) [Read more…] about Siasun develops robotic system for packing cigarettes

CNC Machining Services: One Machine, Many Functions

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An overview of CNC machining services, contributed by RapidDirect

Computer numeric controlled machining (CNC) is a manufacturing process, first introduced between the 1940s and 1950s.

The process involves different accurate cutting instruments that remove material from the item – contingent upon the Computer Aided Drawing (CAD), with cutting edge programming tools can control.

This manufacturing process helps you in designing a sketch for production with the opportunity of altering and making changes. [Read more…] about CNC Machining Services: One Machine, Many Functions

Nissan teaches robots to make replacement parts for old cars

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Breakthrough could mean parts for discontinued models become more widely available for customers

Nissan has developed a new way to use robots to make car parts out of sheet steel, a breakthrough that could make replacement parts for discontinued models more widely available for customers.

Nissan hopes to commercialize the proprietary technique, known as dual-sided dieless forming. The technique involves two synchronized robots working from opposite sides of a steel sheet, using diamond-coated tools to gradually shape the steel.

Thanks to its flexible production, short lead times and minimal upfront costs, the new technique could make it commercially viable to produce and sell a wide variety of after-service and replacement parts in small volumes for cars that Nissan no longer makes. [Read more…] about Nissan teaches robots to make replacement parts for old cars