Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 39.69
April 27, 2021
Unlike factories, where many types of robots from different vendors may work together, most warehouses and distribution centers at an earlier stage of automation adoption. As fleets of mobile robots grow, the need to effectively manage heterogeneous environments is also growing. Meili Robots recently released a report on interoperability. “Many in industry have talked about wanting to expand applications of robots, but they've been put off by interoperability issues or concerns on how to combine different systems,” said Aldus von der Burg, founder and CEO of Meili Robots. “They don't want to juggle between three fleet management systems. I haven't…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 9.30
April 23, 2021
…a maker of polyester and polypropylene products. The Sterling Group portfolio company has served the food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, and manufacturing industries since 1974. Mentor, Ohio-based Greenbridge also supplies and supports tools, parts, and integrated equipment. Evergreen applies AI, robotics to recycling Louisville, Colo.-based AMP Robotics provides artificial intelligence, robotics, and infrastructure for the waste industry. AMP Cortex automates the high-speed identification and sorting of recyclables from mixed material streams. The AMP Neuron AI platform continuously trains itself by recognizing different colors, textures, shapes, sizes, patterns, and even brand labels to identify materials and their recyclability. Neuron then…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 23.25
April 21, 2021
…offering includes Berkshire Grey’s Intelligent Enterprise Robotics systems, including robots using artificial intelligence to autonomously pick, place, and pack customer orders for the demanding Japanese market. SoftBank Robotics is a unit of Japan-based SoftBank Group Corp. It has produced more than 35,000 robots, including the Pepper and NAO humanoid service robots and the Whiz cleaning robot, which are used in more than 70 countries. SB Logistics provides pay-per-use, third-party logistics (3PL) services, starting with e-commerce business-to-consumer (B2C) fulfillment and expanding to offline merges online (business-to-business) and direct-to-consumer (D2C) fulfillment. Bedford, Mass.-based Berkshire Grey combines AI and robotics to support fulfillment,…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 16.34
April 20, 2021
…excellence. TICO said the combination of offerings from its group companies will strengthen its brand portfolio and meet the increasing demands of its customers. Sakichi Toyoda founded Toyota Industries Corp. in 1926 for the manufacture and sale of the Type G automatic loom that he had invented. The Japanese company later expanded to automotive-related fields such as engines and air-conditioning compressors. It also made industrial vehicles such as lift trucks, as well as materials handling equipment and systems related to the transportation, storage, and sorting of goods. TICO now has 256 subsidiary companies and 66,478 employees (as of March 31,…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 16.66
April 20, 2021
Robots are hot in warehouses right now, with strong double-digit growth projected by most analysts over the next few years. There’s a big difference, however, between knowing that robotics has market momentum, and knowing how to properly scope an automation solution. The dilemma with scoping robotics for a distribution center (DC) is that plenty of “it depends” are involved in finding a good fit. It depends on what warehouse workflow you want to automate. It depends on order mix and volume, product dimensions, layout and labor considerations. That said, if you back up from these parameters, some best practices emerge…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 24.93
April 14, 2021
…inVia Robotics Inc. The Los Angeles-based company provides mobile robots and software driven by artificial intelligence to improve fulfillment center efficiency. The COVID-19 pandemic may have accelerated e-commerce demand, but scarce labor has persisted as a driver of automation, said Lior Elazary, co-founder and CEO of inVia Robotics, which promoted its software at ProMat DX this week. “The uptick started in May of last year, and some customers have seen the largest volumes than they've ever seen,” he told Robotics 24/7. “They saw peaks much earlier in the year and couldn't get the labor force. Each quarter has been the…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 20.97
April 12, 2021
…Waltham, Mass.-based company will be demonstrating its latest mobile robots and orchestration software, which it claims can improve productivity across busy warehouses and factories for both humans and robots. “When you pair humans and technology, you have superhuman warehouse workers,” said Daniel Theobald, founder and CEO of Vecna Robotics. “Where you have dynamic environments, such as medical device manufacturers or big distributors, our systems can unambiguously beat our AGV [automated guided vehicle] competitors.” “Our overall goal is to have solutions from dock to dock,” said Jeff Huerta, senior vice president of sales at Vecna Robotics. “We want to do everything…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 17.54
April 08, 2021
…that it has acquired Root AI, which is building robots for indoor farms. Morehead, Ky.-based AppHarvest said that its purchase of Root AI and its Virgo “universal harvester” will help it support more complex tasks and data collection. According to AppHarvest, its 60-acre facility is one of the largest indoor farms in the U.S. The company said it grows non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) produce free of chemical pesticides and using 90% less water than open-field agriculture. It uses recycled rainwater while producing yields up to 30 times that of traditional agriculture on the same amount of land, with zero agricultural…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 19.21
April 07, 2021
…our customers can move forward quickly.” TR-301 wirelessly charges robots, drones The WiBotic systems that received CE Marks were its TR-301 transmitter with the OC-301 onboard charger (operating at 300 Watts) and the TR-301 transmitter with the OC-251 onboard charger (operating at 250 Watts). The TR-301 is WiBotic’s high-power transmitter for larger drones, mobile robots, and marine vehicles. It can be used in the WiBotic PowerPad or other landing pads, said the company. The TR-301’s metal enclosure includes flanges for easy wall mounting, an LCD display for messages, and LED indicator lights to show system status. A standard transmitter antenna…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 19.24
April 06, 2021
…automated storage and retrieval systems, yesterday announced that SoftBank Group Corp. will spend $2.8 billion to acquire 40% of the company from funds affiliated with Thomas H. Lee Partners L.P. and EQT Private Equity, among other shareholders. AutoStore said the funding will enable it to accelerate its global expansion, “with particular emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region.” Nedre Vats, Norway-based AutoStore was founded in 1996 and develops proprietary software and hardware to make warehouse operations more efficient. The company claimed that its Cube Storage Automation is “the densest storage technology.” AutoStore said that more than 20,000 of its robots are currently…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 23.55
March 30, 2021
HAI Robotics, which makes autonomous case-handling robots, or ACRs, for logistics and industrial automation, this month announced a Series B+ funding round of nearly $15 million (U.S.) led by 5Y Capital, with participation from existing investors Source Code Capital and Walden International. According to the company, the capital will fuel its research and development, operational capabilities, and business expansion. Warehouse automation can enable fast, safe, and error-free distribution, as well as shorter time to market, and it is about to make an enormous impact on logistics and supply chain operations, said the Shenzhen, China-based company. “With an increasingly aging population…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 24.56
March 29, 2021
Universal Robots A/S today announced that its collaborative robots will soon be part of Siemens' Totally Integrated Automation, or TIA, portal. This will enable systems integrators and machine builders to integrate cobot arms into complex manufacturing environments, it said. The UR cobots will become part of the Simatic Robot Library in the TIA environment through an interpreter interface expected to be complete in the fourth quarter of 2021, according to the company. “Machinery and plant engineers, as well as manufacturers with large production facilities, will benefit from our cobots‘ TIA integration,” said Bernd Meier, director of global key accounts and…
