Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

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Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots open collaborative automation center in Spain

Two of the most well-known robotics companies have jointly opened a collaborative automation center in Barcelona, Spain. 

Universal Robots, the maker of the best-selling collaborative robotic arms, and Mobile Industrial Robots, which makes mobile robots for warehouses, say the new facility will help promote collaborative automation in southern Europe.

Described as “the first worldwide hub focusing on collaborative robotics”, the center is located in 22@ district of Barcelona. [Read more…] about Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots open collaborative automation center in Spain

Universal Robots powers three new welding tools at FabTech

The welding automation industry is increasingly implementing collaborative robot arms from Universal Robots.

This year’s FabTech Expo features several UR cobot powered path-processing solutions:

The average age of today’s welder in the US is 55 years old, and fewer than 20 percent are under the age of 35, according to the American Welding Society. [Read more…] about Universal Robots powers three new welding tools at FabTech

Universal Robots powers Vectis Automation’s new collaborative robot welding tool

Vectis Automation has chosen Universal Robots’ UR10e cobot to power the Vectis Cobot Welding Tool launching at FabTech 2019 in Chicago. 

The company says its robotic welding tool gives smaller weld shops a low-risk, low-cost solution to increase weld capacity, quality and stability.

Vectis is Latin for leverage. Leverage now extended to manufacturers seeking an easy answer to increase welding productivity amid the ongoing shortage of skilled labor. [Read more…] about Universal Robots powers Vectis Automation’s new collaborative robot welding tool

Universal Robots ‘future-proofs’ production processes at Vietnamese manufacturer with collaborative robots

Universal Robots has helped Vietnam-based Vinacomin Motor Industry Joint Stock Company “future-proof” its production processes with collaborative robots.

VMIC is a subsidiary of the Vinacomin Group, a state-owned coal and mining giant.

VMIC, one of the first state-owned manufacturers to deploy cobots, has seen productivity increase two to three times, with improved product quality, leading to a 50 to 60 percent rise in orders. [Read more…] about Universal Robots ‘future-proofs’ production processes at Vietnamese manufacturer with collaborative robots

Arsenal launches three new robotic dispensing systems on the Universal Robot platform

New cartridge based robotic dispensing systems for low and medium volume manufacturing processes

Arsenal, an Austin, Texas based developer of robotic dispensing systems and turnkey integration solutions, has recently released three new cartridge-based dispensing systems.

Arsenal’s dispensing systems leverage the flexible and easy to use Universal Robot platform which makes them ideal for low and medium volume manufacturing processes.

Cartridge-based robotic dispensing solutions bridge the gap between time consuming, unpredictable manual dispensing and high volume pumping systems. [Read more…] about Arsenal launches three new robotic dispensing systems on the Universal Robot platform

BWIndustrie installs world’s first UR16e collaborative robot to optimise throughput

Universal Robots says that BWIndustrie, a French specialist in machining, assembly and robotics, has installed the world’s first UR16e heavy-duty payload collaborative robot.

It becomes the company’s sixth cobot from UR, where it is streamlining the time-consuming and labour-intensive process of deburring metal parts.

Launched at China International Industy Fair to wide acclaim, the UR16e enables BWIndustrie to overcome the barriers of traditional manufacturing by automating the deburring processes in a matter of seconds compared to the several minutes incurred by manual labour. [Read more…] about BWIndustrie installs world’s first UR16e collaborative robot to optimise throughput

Ford installs team of collaborative robots on Fiesta assembly line

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

Universal Robots launches ‘Service360’ customer support

Universal Robots has launched Service360, a new support service offering which the company says “enhances performance, increases uptime and mitigates risk through seamless collaboration”.

Chris Wilson, vice president of service, Universal Robots, says: “Our customers are at the center of everything. Now, we’re empowering them to proactively monitor, optimize and safeguard cobot performance with enhanced support and preventative maintenance.

“Service360 protects production lines, maximizes uptime, reduces risk and enables success by ensuring manufactures are prepared for the unexpected.” [Read more…] about Universal Robots launches ‘Service360’ customer support

Universal Robots ‘maintains top spot’ in collaborative robot market

Universal Robots is maintaining its top spot in the collaborative robot market, according to a report by ABI Research.

However, competitors including Doosan, Techman Robot and Precise Automation are “closing in“, says the study, Industrial Collaborative Robots Competitive Assessment.

There are well over 50 manufacturers of collaborative robots, or cobots, worldwide, but only a handful of these companies have so far deployed cobots on any meaningful level of scale. [Read more…] about Universal Robots ‘maintains top spot’ in collaborative robot market

Hirebotics develops new robotic welding system

Hirebotics has developed a new robotic welding system using Universal Robots machines.

The new for-hire BotX Welder – developed by Hirebotics and utilizing Universal Robots’ UR10e collaborative robot arm – lets manufacturers automate arc welding with no capital investment, handling even small batch runs not feasible for traditional automation.

Nowhere in manufacturing is the shortage of labor felt as urgently as in the welding sector, which is now facing an acute shortage of welders nationwide. [Read more…] about Hirebotics develops new robotic welding system