Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 12.40
October 10, 2021
“Pain point.” That’s not a bad summary of reverse logistics these days. However, there doesn’t seem to be enough pain in reverse logistics to get many companies to fix their generally inadequate and manual processes. Instead, they continue to receive, review, reallocate, and repeat in the same awkward way. To begin, plenty of returns are out there. Industry estimates for conventional retail is 5% of purchases get returned. That number skyrockets to 25% to 30% for e-commerce. While the former might be manageable, the latter is clearly a deluge. And with a more than 40% increase in e-commerce sales since…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 12.64
October 09, 2021
Collaborative robots offer to help small and midsize manufacturers, among others, adopt flexible automation. Welcome to the third article in this series on collaborative robots. We previously examined what cobots are and whether they are safer and easier to use than traditional robots. In this post, we compare cobots to industrial robots in a range of applications and explore the pros and cons to each class. Cobot roles compared with industrial robots While collaborative robots are intended to be safe and easy to use, traditional industrial robots are designed to be accurate and operate at high speeds. Traditional robots are…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.64
October 08, 2021
At Pack Expo in Las Vegas last month, Honeywell International Inc. announced its Smart Flexible Depalletizer. The system is designed to automate the process of unloading pallets, reduce the risk of injury, and mitigate the effects of labor shortages. Thomas Evans, chief technology officer at Honeywell, spoke with Robotics 24/7 about the Charlotte, N.C.-based company's latest technologies and its approach to developing for warehouses and distribution centers. How was Pack Expo 2021? Evans: It was busier than I expected. It was the first time I've given an in-person interview or had a live presentation rollout since the pandemic began. It…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 7.31
October 08, 2021
Logistics provider GEODIS SA yesterday said it has partnered with integrator Bastian Solutions to deploy an AutoStore storage system at a new fulfillment site for a leading clothing retailer. The partners claimed that the $48 million material handling equipment deal will deliver the highest documented throughput for any AutoStore in the world. It will support the unnamed retailer's omnichannel capabilities, including e-commerce and its more than 1,000 stores across the U.S. “GEODIS' strategic partnership with Bastian Solutions and AutoStore will provide us even greater efficiencies and added capacity as we continue to navigate ongoing industry challenges on behalf of our…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 19.04
October 04, 2021
About six years ago, the CEO of Toyota Research Institute published a seminal paper about whether a Cambrian explosion was coming for robotics. The term “Cambrian explosion” refers to an important event approximately half a billion years ago in which there was a rapid expansion of different forms of life on earth. There are parallels with the field of robotics as modern technological advancements are fueling an analogous explosion in the diversification and applicability of robots. Today, we’re seeing this Cambrian explosion of robotics unfolding, and consequently, many distinct patterns are emerging. I’ll outline the top three trends that are…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 5.04
October 04, 2021
American mobile robot providers are on the move. Locus Robotics Corp. today announced the opening of its European headquarters in Amsterdam. The Wilmington, Mass.-based company said its new facility will support existing EU and U.K. customers and develop new opportunities within the fast-growing European warehouse fulfillment and distribution markets. “Our decision to expand our presence in the European market was a logical step in our business growth strategy,” stated Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics. “Choosing Amsterdam gives us a central location that is ideal for serving our customer base, as well as giving us access to a vibrant and…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.43
September 27, 2021
LAS VEGAS—At Pack Expo here this week, numerous robotics vendors are showing off their latest products to help meet the demands of warehouses and distribution centers. Vecna Robotics today said that the Mark 3 update to its cloud software can double the performance of autonomous mobile robot, or AMR, fleets. The Waltham, Mass.-based company said the new release enables organizations to improve efficiency and throughput, while continuing to exceed industry safety standards. According to a Peerless Research Group industry report, 24% of organizations plan to implement automated guided vehicle (AGV) or AMR technology within the next year. (Peerless is a…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.36
September 24, 2021
When Modern Materials Handling (a sibling site to Robotics 24/7) is interviewing companies for a “System Report,” one of the questions we always ask is: What were your goals for the project? After all, most distribution teams have a bulleted list of three or four high-level goals for a project or a new facility. Typically, they are along the lines of increase productivity without increasing headcount or improve order fulfillment times by 25%. Every now and then, we come across a company with a far-reaching vision for its operations that extends beyond pick and error rates. For instance, we covered…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.08
September 24, 2021
Honeywell International Inc. yesterday announced its Smart Flexible Depalletizer, which is designed to help warehouses and distribution centers automate the manual process of unloading pallets. The Charlotte, N.C.-based company said its latest robotic innovation can reducing the operational risks of potential injuries and labor shortages. Driven by machine learning and advances in perception and gripping technologies, Honeywell said its Smart Flexible Depalletizer minimizes the need for human workers to break down pallet loads. Such roles are at risk for safety incidents, experience high turnover, and are currently difficult to fill. A typical midsize to large distribution center unpacks up to…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 11.37
September 23, 2021
Berkshire Grey Inc. yesterday announced the launch of its Robotic Shuttle Put Wall, or RSPW, system for e-commerce order fulfillment. The RSPW is an automated put wall that uses artificial intelligence and can increases capacity and throughput, said the Bedford, Mass.-based company. This is more important than ever because of currently heightened customer expectations for fast and efficient fulfillment, as well as labor scarcity. “Businesses will continue to see e-commerce orders rise as global e-commerce sales expect to approach $5 trillion by the end of 2021,” stated Kevin Prouty, an analyst at IDC. “This growth in volume, combined with labor…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.45
September 21, 2021
Embark Trucks Inc., which is developing autonomous technology for the trucking industry, last week announced that it has partnered with Ryder System Inc. The companies plan to launch a nationwide network of up to 100 Embark transfer points, where Ryder will provide yard operations, maintenance, and fleet management to support a seamless coast-to-coast autonomous network for Embark fleet partners. “A fully developed transfer point has to include autonomous truck maintenance services and efficient yard operations,” said Alex Rodrigues, CEO of Embark. “By working with Ryder to offer best-in-class truck services throughout our transfer point network, we’re laying the groundwork for…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.03
September 20, 2021
Locus Robotics Corp., which supplies autonomous mobile robots, or AMRs, for fulfillment centers, today said it has acquired Waypoint Robotics Inc., which makes industrial-strength, omnidirectional mobile robots. The companies did not disclose terms but said the combination will enable them to better serve both warehouse and manufacturing operations. “Locus is the proven leader in the development of highly productive and innovative AMR technology that efficiently solves our customers’ needs for total warehouse optimization,” stated Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics. “As order-fulfillment and labor shortages continue to grow around the world, the acquisition of Waypoint Robotics will accelerate our ability…
