On a daily basis, food and beverage distributors have a unique opportunity to contribute their knowledge and skills to one of the world’s most profitable and influential industries. The stakes are high though, and the consequences of errors can have a domino effect. One false move and a customer won’t receive their products on time. One miscalculation and the wrong products will get shipped. Not only will suppliers be delayed as they stock their shelves, but shoppers may be unable to purchase the goods they need. That can have a negative impact on the profit margins of the suppliers, as…
One of the biggest trends in robotic systems developed for use within warehousing pick, pack and kitting operations has been collaboration. This refers to robotic mechanisms that work side by side with humans and interact as needed within a workcell, but with no physical safety barrier between the two. ABB Robotics’ latest offering in that space is the small-parts-handling YuMi, says Rick Tallian, manager of picking, packing and palletizing products and applications.” Users with space constraints in their palletizing zones are eager to see the same type of barrier-free interaction on robotic palletizers that are much larger,” he says, adding…
According to report on the global industrial robotics market in heavy industry, analysts forecast global industrial robotics market in the heavy industry to grow at a CAGR of 6.19% during the period 2016-2020. Industrial robots help manufacturing companies reduce operational costs and many manufacturing companies, especially in the US, outsourced their production and components to countries with low manual labor costs. However, rising labor costs have pushed these companies to change their strategy. The report indicates many industries worldwide are embracing automation in pursuit of smart factories and business organization. The use of automation reduces human error, and improves process…
Robot orders and shipments in North America set new records in 2015, according to Robotic Industries Association (RIA), the industry’s trade group. A total of 31,464 robots valued at $1.8 billion were ordered from North American companies during 2015, an increase of 14% in units and 11% in dollars over 2014. Robot shipments also set new records, with 28,049 robots valued at $1.6 billion shipped to North American customers in 2015. Shipments grew 10% in units and 9% in dollars over the previous records set in 2014. The automotive industry was the primary driver of growth in 2015, with robot…
Clearpath Robotics’ CEO Matt Rendall has been selected to join the Board of Directors for Robotic Industries Association (RIA) as one of four at-large directors. “I am honored to take on the position of Director at-Large within RIA,” Rendall said. “RIA is an indispensable resource for the robotics industry, an industry that is entering a hyper-growth phase. I’m hoping to bring a fresh perspective on emerging technologies like self-driving vehicles and mobile manipulation, as well as start-ups and venture capital.” The Director At-Large positions were announced at RIA’s Annual General Meeting on February 2, 2016 in Orlando, Fla. The RIA…
Many transportation/logistic organizations are applying a new wave of robotic process automation (RPA), a “no coding” approach that integrates and automates data-driven activities. And since RPA sits on top of your organization’s existing technology, it’s both complementary to core systems and non-disruptive for day-to-day business. In short, robotic process automation solves problems that were previously unsolvable. Get your copy of “Complete the Productivity Picture” and learn how to maximize growth and profits by integrating processes across the supply chain ecosystem.
On Saturday, 9 January, FIRST, a not-for-profit public charity designed to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology, officially announced the rules and game-playing details for its 2016 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). This year’s FRC, titled FIRST STRONGHOLD (watch video of game rules), is expected to involve nearly 80,000 high school students on more than 3,100 participating teams throughout the world. Working with adult mentors, students have six weeks to design, build, program, and test their robots to meet the season’s engineering challenge. Saturday’s kickoff event, held in Manchester, N.H., was broadcast live to the participating teams…
Hyster-Yale Group has entered into a preferred vendor cooperation agreement with robotics specialist Balyo to market self-guided trucks in North America. Through this agreement, Hyster-Yale Group, the manufacturer of Hyster and Yale lift trucks, will broaden its capabilities by offering robotic high-productivity solutions for the materials handling industry, while Balyo aims to accelerate adoption of its robotic solutions. The Balyo technology enables trucks to navigate without the help of any reflectors, wires or magnets. Instead the technology selects structural elements of the facility to build a map. Once the map is created, each self-guided truck compares, in real time, what…
Located outside Nashville in Fairview, Tenn., Scott Fetzer Electrical Group (SFEG) is a manufacturer of a range of electrical motors and components. As a high-mix, low-volume producer, the company was challenged to automate lines that are not always running. As an alternative to more costly, fixed industrial robots, the company deployed a fleet of collaborative mobile robots to automate monotonous and repetitive tasks. “We wanted to build a mobile, flexible robot workforce,” says Matthew Bush, director of operations at SFEG. “The only way we would accomplish this was with a collaborative robot. It’s got the speed and precision of a…
Continued consolidation, rapid technological advancements and labor challenges point toward an ambitious new year. Here’s a look back at the biggest materials handling newsmakers in 2015. Mergers and acquisitions Swisslog acquires warehouse automation provider FORTE Industries in the United States FORTE plans, designs and implements material handling automation systems with warehouse execution software (WES) as the core of each solution. Click here for analysis from Bob Trebilcock, Modern’s executive editor. Dematic announces agreement to acquire Reddwerks Leading global supplier of integrated automated technology to acquire leading provider of warehouse execution software. Click here for analysis from Bob Trebilcock, Modern’s executive…
