Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 8.56
August 18, 2021
…assemble components for numerous products. Without operators, these simple plastic and glass parts cannot be made. And without those components, entire factories sit idle, said Rapid Robotics. “We hear a lot about the semiconductor shortage, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg,” said Jordan Kretchmer, CEO of Rapid Robotics. “Contract manufacturers can’t produce gaskets, vials, labels—you name it. I’ve seen cases where the inability to produce a single piece of U-shaped black plastic brought an entire auto line to a halt.” Rapid Machine Operator ready to go Rapid Robotics claimed that its Rapid Machine Operator (RMO) is the world's…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.58
July 22, 2021
…demonstrating that 3D printing isn't just for widgets and plastic parts anymore. It can entail complex materials, large-scale fabrication, and be used with robotics to produce things that were previously unthinkable. In this case, a wind turbine blade just shy short of a football field in length. The bloom of new ecosystems? The combination of AM and robotics exemplifies the new bloom of ecosystems that are budding from industrial landscapes. When one disruptive technology combines with another, they can result in entirely new developments and once-impossible constructs. And it’s not just the possibilities that such an ecosystem creates; it’s also…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 5.42
June 23, 2021
…also enables us to use certain materials, such as plastics or fabrics, to make our system more flexible, lightweight, and cost-effective. It's only a few thousand dollars, compared with tens or hundreds of thousands.” “These materials also enable us to rapidly prototype and innovate, unlike traditional prototyping and 3D printing, which are time-consuming and expensive,” he added. “This enables us to tailor the system to human anatomy and more easily scale up.” “The knee actuator transmits torque for movement,” he explained. “One area of customization is optimizing fit for comfort. We can take a user's measurements for the thigh and…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 5.08
June 15, 2021
…is a big application,” Charles added. “We've seen facilities where products come in, and workers need to take away plastic packing or broken-down cardboard boxes. Bins already have a bar that we could grab on to.” “With solid mechanical solutions ranging from 100 to 1,000 kg., that covers a lot of applications,” he said of the MiR250 Hook. “Our growth moving forward will be software-related. We make continuous updates, and we're focused on our new AI cameras and ease of deployment.”
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 6.03
May 25, 2021
…and technical glass applications; and high-quality chrome-plated and painted plastic components for the automotive and commercial truck industries. Wichita, Kansas-based Koch is one of the largest private companies in the U.S., with estimated annual revenues as high as $115 billion, according to Forbes. It owns a diverse group of companies involved in chemicals, consumer products, electronics, automotive components, and investments, among other industries. Koch recently invested in Percepto for autonomous inspection of industrial sites. Autonomous mobile robots on the rise Guardian Industries and Koch are not the only companies that want to optimize internal transportation flows, according to Mobile Industrial…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 9.01
May 24, 2021
…variety of types of cargo. Manufacturers in automotive, aerospace, medical, alternative energy, fabricated metal, industrial machinery, and rubber and plastics space have also used AMT's systems.
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 5.87
May 18, 2021
…are optimized for high-throughput manufacturing of functional, complex 3D plastic and rubber parts. Adaptive3D's flagship resin is Elastic ToughRubber 90, a durable, printable photopolymer elastomer. The company said it serves high-throughput manufacturing, while maintaining low cost of production and superior material performance. Adaptive3D has received strategic capital from leading materials companies including Covestro, Arkema Group, West Pharmaceuticals, Applied Ventures, and Royal DSM. It noted that Desktop Metal's scale and channel network provide “a massive opportunity” for it to expand. “We are thrilled to partner with Desktop Metal to enable additive manufacturing through our differentiated materials,” said Dr. Walter Voit, founder…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 8.54
May 16, 2021
…for the transportation of raw materials such as paper, plastic, rubber, steel, and metal. AMRs move around the facility autonomously. They do so using technologies such as lidar, machine learning, and the cloud, as well as vision-based navigation. Thanks to their flexibility, they are often used for repetitive tasks that were previously carried out by human workers. Certain mobile robots can also safely collaborate with humans for goods-to-person applications. Types of warehouse tasks being automated There are several categories of tasks for robots to handle. The first is robots used in transporting goods, from automated lift trucks to heavy load…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 7.86
May 13, 2021
…a number of industries including consumer electronics, auto components, plastics, food and beverage, lab automation, appliances, and medical device manufacturing.” FANUC widens range of SCARA robots FANUC America said its family of four-axis SCARA robots has grown to include the SR-3iA, SR-6iA, SR-12iA, and new SR-20iA models, with 3kg, 6kg, 12kg and 20kg (6.6 to 44 lb.) payload capacities, respectively. They have a reach of 400 to 1,100mm (15.7 to 43.3 in.). The small SR-3iA and SR-6iA SCARAs have a compact footprint and space-saving design for maximum efficiency, according to the company. In addition, the SR-3iA/H and SR-6iA/H are three-axis…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.23
April 30, 2021
…known affordances and can automatically adjust for steel versus plastic.” “The only way for robots to move forward is to build libraries of skills and determine what the function is like,” said Nikovski. “To achieve one-shot learning is a holy grail. There are technologies that allow learning a single trajectory that allow for starting state and goal location with simple dynamic moves and primitives.” Source: MERL MERL trains robots with in-house data Part of the challenge of making cobots more dexterous is the amount of data to process from sensors or needed for training. MERL is using its own machine…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 18.54
April 23, 2021
…sort green and clear PET from post-consumer bales of plastic soft-drink bottles, which it recycles into reusable flakes or pellets (rPET) and sells to end markets as feedstock for new containers and packaging. The company is investing $24 million to double its capacity. “As a leader in the recycling of post-consumer PET bottles, the precision and accuracy of AI and robotics has aided our ability to better monitor the composition of material throughout our operation, boost recovery, and ensure high quality in the rPET resin we produce,” stated Greg Johnson, vice president of operations for Greenbridge and Evergreen. “AMP’s technology…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 5.47
April 19, 2021
…to fit into the lowest number of bags, reducing plastic use. After being packed, orders are loaded into a temperature-controlled Kroger Delivery van, which can store up to 20 orders. It uses machine learning to optimize delivery routes, considering factors like road conditions and optimal fuel efficiency. The Monroe CFC measures 375,000 sq. ft., includes seven “modules,” and carries thousands of popular grocery products. Kroger said its configuration includes Ocado technology engineered for the flexible Kroger Delivery network, which will also include smaller facilities. The CFC can fulfill thousands of orders per day and support pickup orders. Last week, Ocado…
