Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.21
…one centrally located roof that would enable efficient last-mile delivery and cut lead times for smaller and more frequent store deliveries, resulting in less back stock in the stores. “When we decided to centralize all of our products into one warehouse, the main driver was to become more efficient and minimize our store stock,” Eriksson says. All of those factors pointed toward automation, as did the tight labor market in Norway and Sweden. In addition to design questions, the retailer needed a central location to serve all of its growing markets. “We did a center of gravity analysis, and it…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.20
…less than one centimeter. However, these researchers needed a drug-delivery robot that would break down after use. Most such robots don’t biodegrade, meaning patients must have surgical procedures for removal. The team made the robot from gelatin that contained microparticles of iron oxide. The researchers put a permanent magnet above the material, making the microparticles push outward and form structures resembling insect legs. Next, the team cooled the material to solidify it. Finally, they soaked the gelatin in ammonium sulfate to strengthen it. After these steps, the group realized they could tweak them to fine-tune the robot’s properties. The resulting…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.19
…islands of automation, OTTO 600 unlocks workflows including lineside delivery, work cell delivery, and palletizer to stretch-wrapper transport. Key specs: 1,322 lb (600 kg) payload capacity 4.5 mph (2 m/s) maximum speed 1050/700/320 mm footprint IP54 rating OTTO 600 is available through the existing global network of OTTO Motors system integrators and material handling solution providers. OTTO’s software used by most recognized brands and Fortune 500 companies. OTTO’s latest software release, 2.28, delivers faster and safer traffic movement and a new facility configuration interface for quicker workflow set-up, it said. OTTO Motors added it invests heavily in software development to…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.19
…guest speaker Dave Williams, director of software and solution delivery at Westfalia, recently hosted a webinar titled “Considering Automation? Analyze how your warehouse can be transformed with automation.” This webinar discussed how to analyze your warehouse data and how automation technology can be a solution for growing companies with more SKUs. During the webinar, Corcoran explained how to optimize space and increase efficiency for continued growth. He also analyzed three main challenges that manufacturers are facing today and provided solutions. Challenge: Higher consumer demand for product more frequently with more diverse SKUs Solution: Increase productivity and improve accuracy rates by…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.18
…company notes. Reduce cross-docking times and speed up shipment deliveries: Autonomous vehicles with self-guiding abilities can reduce cross-docking times and improve accuracy and rates of picking, packing, sorting, and labeling of items, Deloitte notes. This, in turn, increases perfect order rates and potentially drives higher customer satisfaction levels. “The time for companies to assess their supply chains for piloting autonomous robots is now,” Deloitte concludes in its autonomous robots and drones report. “Depending on needs and existing capabilities within the supply chain, implementing autonomous robots - from robotic process automation to self-guiding vehicles with artificial intelligence - can provide significant…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.17
…or flexibly schedule setup times. SICK said users can also plan and control material flow based on consumption, boosting delivery quality and on-time delivery.
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.17
…wide range of autonomous applications. This includes drones, robots, delivery robots, construction and farm equipment, and autonomous cars and trucks. The same high-precision technology that powers the fastest autonomous racing cars is now available to industries seeking reliable and high-precision navigation solutions throughout North America and most of Europe. “As with any competition, we want to win,” said Gary Passon, AIracingTech founder and Autonomous Motorsports Principal at UC Berkeley. “Point One's RTK technology is not only incredibly accurate but also remarkably easy to integrate and use. It has been an essential component in optimizing our vehicle's performance and has increased…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.16
…market and increased expectations for faster (if not same-day) delivery. Plus inflation pressures for inventory carry and operating costs. All of this, in addition to the new mega-scale required to meet throughput demands and competitive efficiencies, requires a radical quickening of automation technology adoption. Change has been afoot for a while with the transition from basic autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to 3D AS/AR systems. Mobile robots have been used extensively for the past ten years and will continue to be used in many applications for years to come. But ASRS systems provide a comprehensive solution to automate the entire flow…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.15
…automation and is working on autonomous vehicles and drone deliveries. In 2019, Shopify acquired AMR provider 6 River Systems, but unlike Amazon and Kiva, 6 River Systems continues to sell robots to other customers. Another example is inVia Robotics, which has developed an array of AMRs that can conduct various warehouse tasks, including cycle counting, inventory replenishment, and item verification. Healthcare gets robot aides In addition to fulfillment centers and retail stores, hospitals are other dynamic environments that could benefit from mobile logistics robots. However, developers and suppliers serving the healthcare market must be aware of hygiene, privacy, and safety…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.14
…reduces errors – and customer dissatisfaction due to wrong deliveries! As you can hire robots as part of a Robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) offering, you can flexibly scale up and down as your demand dictates. Hire more when it’s busier, return them when business calms down. Adding them for a peak is easy, too – they just need to be connected to your network (assuming the system is already in place). This makes them highly cost-effective, especially as you don’t have high upfront costs related to fixed automation. Besides this, they’re easy to integrate without disturbing operations and get to know their…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.11
…grocery orders results in a loss – even before delivery costs are factored in. Fulfill said its systems help reduce the costs of fulfilling online grocery orders. Source: Fulfill As a result, online grocery is very expensive for customers, pick-up can be inconvenient, and product substitutions occur frequently. Moreover, inefficient inventory management in grocery stores is a crucial reason a third of food is wasted globally – resulting in carbon emissions from food waste being nearly equal to that of all road transportation, combined, according to the United Nations. “To address the many challenges facing online grocery, retailers must adopt…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.11
…leadership to standardize the process for evaluation, training and delivery of exoskeletons to eligible Veterans in need.” The VA estimates that approximately 42,000 individuals with spinal cord injuries are U.S. veterans, of which the VA provides annual care to more than 27,000 individuals through the VA Spinal Cord Injuries and Disorders (SCI/D) network. The STAND Act, which has been endorsed by Paralyzed Veterans of America and Disabled American Veterans, seeks to ensure that: Annual exoskeleton evaluations are codified in law for those veterans who seek their care through the VA; The VA provides Congress updates on the progress in terms…