Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.74
June 18, 2023
Swisslog last week announced that Northern Tool + Equipment will install a Swisslog Automation Solution in its Fort Mill, S.C., facility to support both online ordering and retail. Designed by Swisslog experts, the system will include an AutoStore system optimized by Swisslog’s SynQ software. The company said it expects the system to be operational by October 2023. “Northern Tool + Equipment is committed to continued growth,” said Shaun Bunch, senior vice president of supply chain operations at Northern Tool + Equipment, in a press release. “Through strategic planning and thoughtful attention to what our customers need most from us, we’ve…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.66
June 16, 2023
ATLANTA—Exotec SAS yesterday announced at its ExoDay event that it has been recognized as the “Overall Robotics Company of the Year” in the annual SupplyTech Breakthrough Awards program. Exotec builds high-density warehouse automation and has been expanding in North America. “Exotec is revolutionizing the way warehouses operate for the benefit of the entire field—from the people working on the warehouse floors to those awaiting their orders at home,” said Bryan Vaughn, managing director of the SupplyTech Breakthrough Awards, in a press release. “They demonstrate a strong innovation culture, unique product approach, and commitment to delivering results,” he added. “We're thrilled…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.50
June 14, 2023
One challenge for autonomous systems has been the need to see in varied lighting conditions. Photoneo s.r.o. last week introduced the third generation of its Ambient Light Suppression technology in its 3D sensors. It brings “superior scanning performance under the most challenging lighting conditions,” claimed the Bratislava, Slovakia-based company. “Photoneo has been known as a brand of quality—a trusted developer of robust 3D sensors that are able to overcome challenges such as scanning black and shiny parts, scanning from larger distances, or having low noise and great data completeness in challenging lighting conditions, thanks to the Ambient Light Suppression [ALS]…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.89
June 10, 2023
Users increasingly need robotic grippers that can function similarly to human hands. That’s particularly true in manufacturing and order-fulfillment facilities, where robots may grasp everything from fragile fruits to delicate decorations. Researchers from Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Austria’s Johannes Kepler University and the University of Colorado at Boulder in the United States recently made a fully biodegradable artificial muscle from gelatin, oil and bioplastics. They called them hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic actuators. The team used them to move a robotic gripper. A YouTube video from the group indicated the muscles break down in compost bins after six…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.96
June 09, 2023
Amazon's purchase of Kiva Systems in 2012 has had a ripple effect on the entire robotics industry. In the wake of the purchase, numerous robotics companies emerged, and interest and investment in warehouse robotics began to grow. Quiet Logistics, which had been a customer of Kiva's, decided to start making its own autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and would go on to found Locus Robotics in 2014. A number of former Kiva Systems employees banded together to start 6 River Systems in 2015. Other AMR makers that were founded around that time include Geek+, Fetch Robotics, and IAM Robotics. But how…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 13.46
June 08, 2023
OPLOG today announced that it has opened its first U.S. warehouse in Chicago. The new fulfillment center boasts 10,000 sq. m (107,639 sq. ft.) of floor space and uses the company's automation and warehouse management technologies. “The United States remains an immensely vital market for the e-commerce industry, and its significance continues to grow,” said Halit Develioğlu, CEO of OPLOG, in a press release. “It comes as no surprise that numerous businesses across the globe aspire to enter the U.S. market and establish a strong presence here.” Founded in 2013, OPLOG said it enables e-commerce brands to operate in various…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.62
June 06, 2023
As robotics startups grow from university spinouts to commercial enterprises, they need to explain their value proposition to potential customers. To get the most out of media campaigns and other initiatives, such companies can work with public relations partners. Brandstyle Communications last month announced a dedicated Robotics Practice, the first in its business-to-business portfolio. “Brandstyle Robotics marks the beginning of a series of dedicated practices launching within the agency,” stated Zoe Weisberg Coady, founder and CEO of Brandstyle Communications. “Providing high-level strategy—akin to in-house counsel—has allowed us to be the go-to PR partner for renowned brands and companies across a…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 7.50
June 05, 2023
Hy-Tek Intralogistics last week said it has partnered with Hai Robotics to combine Hy-Tek's IntraOne enterprise logistics platform with Hai Robotics' automated storage and retrieval systems, or ASRS. The companies said their joint offering will help reduce customers' storage footprints, increase workflow efficiency, maximize picking efficiency, and improve daily order-fulfillment rates. “We are excited to start our partnership with Hai, an up-and-coming innovator for the G2P [goods-to-person] space,” said Zac Boehm, vice president of robotic solutions at Hy-Tek Intralogistics, in a release. “By formalizing our partnership, it allows Hy-Tek to add to its existing solutions with a technology that allows…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.43
June 03, 2023
Warehouses and distribution centers, or DCs, can make or break a supply chain. Within these facilities, efficient order-fulfillment operations can meet demand, satisfy customers, and adapt to anything ahead. On the other hand, inefficiencies lead to order delays, costly errors, and even bigger problems when unexpected disruptions arise. With so much on the line, it’s no surprise that nearly every company is looking for ways to make their warehouses and DCs run better and faster. But what may come as a surprise is the relatively low adoption rates for one of the best solutions out there: automation. Warehouse automation benefits…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.71
June 02, 2023
Late last month, CoEvolution announced that its CO-PICK smart warehouse system delivered substantial increases in warehouse efficiency for Lotte Group, a South Korean Fortune 500 retailer. The company said it raised throughput at Lotte's facility by 30% more SKUs per day. Lotte Group is a leading retailer in South Korea, with a significant presence in retail, food, electronics, and confectionery. Having considered and researched multiple options, it selected CoEvolution to work on a project to automate its entire warehouse transferring operations using a multi-vendor robot fleet. CoEvolution said the CO-PICK system uses orchestration software to deliver highly efficient picking, order…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 9.44
June 02, 2023
Prime Robotics Inc. yesterday announced that it has partnered with Wulftec International Inc. to integrate Wulftec's stretch-wrapping technology with its pallet management system. “Given today’s global economy, labor shortages, and ever-increasing customer and consumer expectations, the importance of the end-to-end automation revolution in fulfillment facilities cannot be overstated,” said Eric Rongley, CEO of Prime Robotics, in a press release. “This partnership allows us to enhance our mission to help our customers streamline their operations, reduce costs, and provide an exceptional customer experience,” he stated. “We are excited to collaborate with Wulftec to innovate and advance the fulfillment automation ecosystem.” Prime…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.13
June 02, 2023
For a technology writer, spending a couple of days at the Automate show is like being a kid in a candy store. There are industrial robots, collaborative robot arms, autonomous mobile robots, and plenty of exhibitors with warehouse robotics solutions. The annual event—put on by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3)—has evolved to include solutions of value to multiple industries and processes. These days, it’s not just a show about industrial robots used to “make” or assemble goods in factories. There were many exhibitors offering materials handling solutions, ranging from palletizing, to order fulfillment of finished goods in warehouses. Just…
