Stories by technology

Mitsubishi pictures the factories of the future

Factories populated by autonomous vehicles delivering parts and sub-assemblies across the shop floor, robots working alongside human operators to assemble customised products – all scheduled automatically by live orders placed online. While this is a utopian vision of manufacturing for many and there are certain industry sectors where the journey to smart manufacturing is a […]

Mitsubishi Electric puts robot control on the PLC rack

The increasing modularity of PLC components means that in principle life has been getting easier for systems integrators of late, with the ability to implement complete automation systems on a single backplane. However, with a host of new PLC modules making it feasible to implement full control of a complete production line without ever leaving […]

Mitsubishi extends range with first collaborative robot

At SPS IPC Drives in Nuremberg, Mitsubishi Electric demonstrated production in an Industry 4.0 environment, including a new collaborative robot, working together with an operator without safety barriers. The launch of the new collaborative MELFA robot marks the company’s first dedicated development in the area of Human-Robot Cooperation (HRC). Mitsubishi Electric says the new collaborative […]

Universal Robots launches next generation cobots

Universal Robots is continuing to evolve its ground-breaking, collaborative automation technology with the introduction of its new flagship e-Series cobots. This new collaborative robot platform includes technology advances that enables faster development for a wider variety of applications. Improvements include the ability to economically address even more applications, thanks to greater precision and sensitivity provided […]

Igus highlights robolink ReBel joints for mobile applications

The new robolink ReBeL joints from Igus can be used for robotic tasks in the workplace and in the private sector. They are particularly suitable for mobile applications in which a robotic arm is mounted on a moving platform. The robolink ReBeL joint a cost-effective flyweight with which 6 DOF robotscan be implemented. This prototype […]

AMRC highlights collaborative robotics research

Engineers at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) are leading the way in collaborative robotics research in a drive to help SMEs integrate the technology onto factory floors. Collaborative robots – also known as cobots – differ from conventional industrial robots in that they feature technology that allows them to operate safely […]