Robotics & Automation News

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Opinion: Robots are the solution, not the problem, to the workplace safety challenge

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By Richard Mawson, sales manager UK and Ireland at OnRobot

Since the mid-twentieth century, robots have been implemented by businesses worldwide to enhance efficiency and multiply productivity levels.

However, while the introduction of robotic equipment in industrial contexts undoubtedly helped organisations increase their profits and revenues, it also transformed the working environments.

Safety concerns inevitably arose. [Read more…] about Opinion: Robots are the solution, not the problem, to the workplace safety challenge

Ford installs team of collaborative robots on Fiesta assembly line

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Automaker Ford has for the first time introduced a team of collaborative robots that works alongside engineers in Cologne, Germany, to ensure every Ford Fiesta has a perfect finish.

The six cobots complete a choreographed sequence to sand the entire body surface in just 35 seconds. The initiative does not replace employees but allows operators to use their time on more complex tasks and avoid suffering the strains associated with performing repetitive tasks.

Dennis Kuhn, senior manufacturing engineer, paint shop, Ford of Europe, says: “The cobots can feel when more force needs to be applied, just like we can, and they can more easily get to hard-to-reach places, like the centre of the roof.” [Read more…] about Ford installs team of collaborative robots on Fiesta assembly line

Want to know how safe your warehouse job is? There’s an app for that

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In 2017 there were nearly 350,000 incidents of workers taking sick leave due to injuries affecting muscles, nerves, ligaments or tendons – like carpal tunnel syndrome – according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Among the workers with the highest number of incidents: people who work in factories and warehouses.

Musculoskeletal disorders happen at work when people use awkward postures or perform repeated tasks. These behaviors generate strain on the body over time. So it’s important to point out and minimize risky behaviors to keep workers healthy on the job. [Read more…] about Want to know how safe your warehouse job is? There’s an app for that

OnRobot opens research and development facility in Los Angeles

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New office location in Culver City provides OnRobot opportunity to attract talent and add new products to a portfolio including robotic grippers inspired by lizards and sensors lending a human touch to robot arms

OnRobot, a provider of end-of-arm tooling for collaborative robot applications, has opened its first location specifically dedicated to research and development in the United States.

Based in Culver City in Los Angeles, California, the new office area boasts 6,000 square feet for engineers, researchers and local staff to work and develop new products. Last year marked OnRobot’s first foray into the LA area, as it acquired Perception Robotics.

With this acquisition, OnRobot brought the award winning Gecko Gripper technology into its product offerings and developed it for commercial launch. [Read more…] about OnRobot opens research and development facility in Los Angeles

When Automation Works Alongside Humans

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When we talk about automation, we often imagine a future in which everything we do will be almost entirely handled by machines. Cars will drive themselves. Management decisions will be handed over to an AI. Even the creative arts might one day be taken over by robots.

But for the time being, automation isn’t quite there. And so, some compromise between machine and human worker is needed. A synergy between the two has already yielded great results – just think about an autopilot guiding a plane for the majority of a flight, and human pilot intervening only for take-off and landing.

A more commonplace example of machine-assistance comes in the form of a spell-checker on a word-processing program. And these are getting more sophisticated. Apps like Grammarly and ProWritingAid not only identify grammatical or spelling errors; they now also identify more stylistic problems, and help us to make writing clearer and more concise, even when it isn’t technically wrong. [Read more…] about When Automation Works Alongside Humans

How Automation has Transformed the Delivery Process

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The world of logistics has, in recent years, been radically altered by automation.

More than ever before, the process of getting a package from one location to another has been put into the hands of machines, and the change is behind many of the recent improvements in packaging and distribution that even small businesses can enjoy.

But exactly how does automation impact the delivery process, and what changes might we continue to see in the future? Let’s take a look. [Read more…] about How Automation has Transformed the Delivery Process

ABB Robotics to develop collaborative robot solutions for healthcare

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ABB is to introduce collaborative robots to medical laboratories as it opens a new healthcare hub at the Texas Medical Center (TMC) innovation campus in Houston, Texas.

The facility will be ABB’s first dedicated healthcare research centre when it opens in October 2019.

ABB’s research team will work on the TMC campus with medical staff, scientists and engineers to develop non-surgical medical robotics systems, including logistics and next-generation automated laboratory technologies.

[Read more…] about ABB Robotics to develop collaborative robot solutions for healthcare

Elephant Robotics launches collaborative robot

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Elephant Robotics has unveiled a collaborative robot, called “Catbot”, saying it is one of the new generation of smart assistant robotic arms. The cobot is available for pre-order, with delivery scheduled for August. 

Human-robot collaborations are happening across factories worldwide, yet very few are using it for smaller businesses, due to high costs or the difficulty of customization, says the company.

Elephant Robotics, a startup from Shenzhen, China – or the “Silicon Valley of Asia”, as Elephant describes it – has set its sight on helping smaller businesses gain access to smart robotics. [Read more…] about Elephant Robotics launches collaborative robot

Volkswagen agrees digital transformation roadmap

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Volkswagen will be investing up to €4 billion in digitisation projects up until 2023 – mainly in administration but also in production. At least 2,000 new jobs related to digitisation are to be created.

This has been agreed by the Board of Management and the General Works Council in their “digital transformation roadmap”.

Agile working methods, improved processes and digitisation are to reduce the burden on employees and speed up processes. Tasks that used to be performed manually are to be simplified through improved IT.

[Read more…] about Volkswagen agrees digital transformation roadmap

Taiwanese store employs robot to make and serve tea

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A Taiwanese food and beverage store called Babo Arms is now using a collaborative robot from Universal Robots to make and serve tea.

Universal Robots’ UR5 unit was chosen by Babo Arms to “add a twist of modernity” into their production process.

Babo Arms were searching for an automated device to enhance operations and address the ongoing recruitment issue faced by the food and beverage industry. [Read more…] about Taiwanese store employs robot to make and serve tea