Robotics Trends

North American Robot Orders Fall 25% in 2009, But Positive Signs Emerge in Fourth Quarter Robotic Industries Association reports a sharp decline for new robot orders over 2009, but levels off during the 4th quarter.  Moreover, life sciences/pharmaceutical/biomedical orders rose 43% in units while food and consumer goods orders rose 7%. North American robotics companies saw orders for new robots fall 25% in 2009, but the decline slowed considerably in the fourth quarter, according to new statistics from Robotic Industries Association (RIA), the industry’s trade group. A total of 9,451 robots valued at $569.2 million were ordered by North American manufacturing companies in 2009. Unit figures were down 25% and dollars declined 36% when compared to the full year 2008 results. In the fourth quarter, the decline came to a near stop as units were flat with the same period in… View this post
Filed in: Industrial Automation • Latest News • RT News
Tagged: Industrial robots, North america, Robotic industries association

ST Robotics Introduces “Firefly” Affordable, high-performance industrial robot system, featuring theR12-500 robot arm, the new Mk5 controller, and RoboForth II software, targeted to small companies looking to automate processes. ST Robotics announced the introduction of their new R12-500, dubbed “Firefly”—a technological and economical breakthrough in bench-top robotics.  At last, small companies looking to increase the production goals of their automated processes can afford such a robust, industrial robot system --- one that can be unpacked and programmed in just a few hours. This low-cost, self-contained system features a five-axis, vertically articulated, industrial robot arm with a 500mm reach and, amazingly enough, it’s also fast, accurate, compact and easy to program.  Its high intelligence can accomplish the most complex of tasks, while its simple interface allows for easy adaptation to any… View this post
Filed in: Industrial Automation • Latest News
Tagged: Industrial robots, Robot, Robotics, St robotics, Firefly

Food Robot Turns Heads in Tokyo Fanuc Robotics, Inc. is demonstrating its high-speed food-picking robot arm at the Fooma Tokyo food-automation expo this week. The units, which were the first to pass USDA hygiene requirements and got the company an approving nod from analysts at Robotics Business Review for the innovation, are designed to pick primary and packaged food at speeds as high as 120 cycles per minute. It can’t make the sushi, in other words, but it can assemble and present it at hygiene levels acceptable for food preparation under U.S. regulations. Its greaseless, sealed design resists food and bacterial buildup and allows it to be washed down easily with chemicals allowed in food preparation environments. It uses FANUC’s PickTool software to let owners configure its motions, and a two-dimensional vision… View this post
Filed in: Industrial Automation • Feature • RT News
Tagged: Industrial robots, Service robotics, Food robotics, Industrial automation, Food preparation

Motoman Releases Expert-System Software for Robot Repairs Motoman has announced a new software product called RobotPro Web Edition that provides a comprehensive troubleshooting system for preventive maintenance and repairs of Motoman robots that use the company’s NX-series controllers. The software has versions for each robot model and is structured in a way designed to be easy for technicians to view and use interactively to solve problems. It provides a maintenance schedule that can be printed out, and includes step-by-step instructions, photographs, drawings and schematics to help with motor replacements, lubrication, servo pack replacement and other repair and maintenance operations. The software requires a high-speed Internet connection and Web browser. It is available by annual subscription, but a free evaluation period is available. Each version of the software is tailored to a specific model… View this post
Filed in: Industrial Automation • RT News
Tagged: Industrial robots, Expert systems, Technical guides, Repair software, Repair and maintenance

Swedish Factory Fined After Robot Grabs Worker’s Head A Swedish company has been fined the equivalent of $3,000 for a June, 2007 incident in which an industrial robot grabbed a worker’s head and broke four ribs as he was attempting to repair it.  According to a local news site, a maintenance worker in the town of Balsta approached the robot to do some repairs, after believing he had cut off its power supply. As he approached, the robot arm, normally used to lift heavy rocks, reached out and grabbed the man’s head. He succeeded in freeing himself, though not without injury. After investigations by both the work-safety authority and the police, a local prosecuting attorney threatened to press charges against the company. The prosecutor eventually agreed to settle for a fine, acknowledging part of… View this post
Filed in: Industrial Automation • Latest News
Tagged: Industrial robots, Injuries, Safety, Manipulator arms