Manufacturing

What’s new for collaborative robotics systems, enabling technologies and applications? What’s next? Attend this online session on April 21st to find out.

Acquisition of industry leading mobile robotics website, together with Mike Oitzman continuing as editor, strengthens WTWH Media’s robotics brand and serves as catalyst for future growth.

In this podcast, Enrico Krog Iversen, the CEO of end-of-arm-tooling company OnRobot, discusses EOAT innovation and his time as CEO of Universal Robots. Also featured is READY Robotics’ VP Juan Aparicio Ojea.

BMW Group’s IDEALworks (IW) subsidiary stated goal is for IW to become a leading supplier of autonomous mobile robotics (AMRs) solutions in the logistics sector. BMW’s new initiative validates the AMR market, but also challenges existing AMR players.

Retailers and 3PLs are rapidly adopting a wide range of automation technologies – including robotics – to improve the operational efficacy and efficiency in warehouses and distribution centers. The primary demand driver is e-commerce.

Tessella Automation’s PISMO platform and supporting technologies speed and ease the configuration and reconfiguration of collaborative robot production systems. The result? Reduced costs along with increased automation flexibility and business agility.

The next production revolution will be a boon for a global economy that is sputtering and experiencing lagging growth and investment. This new technology wave should lead to a virtuous cycle of increased investment, higher productivity, more spending, and more investment.

Eureka Robotics’ robotics solutions automate tasks that require both high accuracy and high agility, a major challenge for high precision manufacturers.

In this podcast, Association for Advancing Automation’s president Jeff Burnstein comments on 2020 Robotics Sales for North America. Also, Canvas founders discuss their robotic drywall solution.

HeroWear’s back-assist Apex exosuit, which reduces back strain when objects are lifted, can be adjusted to fit workers of all sizes — both men and women. Imagine that.

While third-party logistics (3PLs) companies have offered Fulfillment–as–a–Service (FaaS) for years, automation technology vendors are now beginning to provide FaaS solutions along with their more traditional technologies, products and services offerings.

Waypoint’s easy to use and intuitive autonomous mobile robots can be set up and operating in under 15 minutes.

In this Robot Report podcast, Greg Smith, President of Teradyne’s Industrial Automation Group discusses the company’s robotics acquisition strategies and future plans.

The five most popular RoboBusiness Direct sessions are available on demand. Topics include 1) robotics investment models, 2) robotics for logistics tasks, 3) the frontiers of manufacturing, 4) robotics commercializing strategies, and 5) the future of human-robot-collaboration.

RBR essential announcements for the interval ranging from January 8 – 14, 2021 include notices from Hyundai Robotics, MakinaRocks, Oceaneering International, WeRide.ai, Energy Robotics, DreamVu, Quicktron, Leadec, maxon Group, Fourier Intelligence and Naïo Technologies.

Meili Robots’ universal fleet management solution supports multiple brands of mobile robots, and integrates with all ERP systems.

To increase the adoption rate of robotics and automation technologies, US manufacturers, especially SMEs, must have training support in place and acted on, as well as take advantage of governmental workforce development programs. Only then will the business value of robotic automation overcome adoption reluctance due to cost.

Flexibility in manufacturing provides quantifiable value creation and cost savings, and a great way to introduce flexibility in factories is to allow humans and robots to work together in the same space. For many applications, limited fencing or guarding is desirable to ensure workcell safety and support more fluid human-robot interaction.

As this Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute (ARM) project illustrates, ARM is placing a great amount of emphasis on sewing and textile handling. The reason is completely in keeping with ARM’s charter to “accelerate transformative robotic technologies to increase U.S. global manufacturing competitiveness.”

While the number of transactions involving robotics companies has held steady through this year, the total value in November 2020 was half of that in November 2019.

Artificial intelligence (AI) can improve many operational aspects of AGVs and AMRs, and increase worker satisfaction. As such, AI must be a fundamental building block in robotics design and harnessed by management.

Distribution Centers are exploiting data and using Labor Management Software (LMS) to optimize processes, overcome labor challenges, and drive automation deployments, including robotics systems.

Flexiv provides turnkey automation solutions based on adaptive robots powered by advanced force control, computer vision and AI technologies.

In this RoboBusiness Direct session, SWRI’s Matt Robinson describes how ROS can support complex, large scale, industrial automation. In a follow-on session, DreamVu’s Mark Davidson reviews the benefits of omnidirectional 3D vision for UV disinfection robots.

Although robotics investments, mergers, and acquisitions may have dropped a bit in October 2020, autonomous vehicles, drones, and healthcare applications continued to receive funding.