Festo continues to broaden its expertise and resources to support the automotive industry’s changing needs as it transforms from the internal combustion engine (ICE) towards electrification. From its comprehensive product portfolio, Festo offers coordinated solutions for the robust, safe and precise gripping and transport of battery cells, along with many years of experience to help […]
Metal LS, the Bulgarian manufacturer of door locking systems, door and window handles and building hardware, started planning a new automated assembly of door locks in 2019. The robotic systems that the company already used for other applications were too large for the planned production site, so the new solutions needed to be as compact […]
Sick has released a ground-breaking miniature version of its powerful and robust Visionary-T 3D snapshot vision sensor. Thanks to a pioneering collaboration between Sick AG and Microsoft, the Visionary-T Mini packs precise, high-resolution and rapid image capture into a robust design that is both compact and lightweight for a wide variety of industrial uses. The […]
The commercial relationship between collaborative robots’ manufacturer Universal Robots (UR) and automation specialist, RARUK Automation, continues to grow in strength and depth, year on year. Having achieved gold UR distributorship ranking in May 2021, RARUK Automation has now been elevated to platinum status. This means the Shefford-based company joins an elite group of just seven […]
The decommissioning of nuclear facilities poses major challenges for operators. Whether decommissioning or safe containment, the amount of nuclear waste to be disposed of is growing at an overwhelming rate worldwide. Automation is increasingly required to handle nuclear waste, but the nuclear industry is reluctant of fully autonomous robotic control methods for safety reasons, and […]
The last five decades have seen tremendous advances both in robotics and in CNC machining centre technology. In recent years manufacturers have begun reaping the benefits of bringing these two technologies together and robot tending of CNC machines is already helping to improve productivity for many businesses. However, there is more to come from these […]
For safe protection zone monitoring even in rugged conditions, the Pilz portfolio now includes another sensor for the safe radar system PSENradar: the new radar sensor PSEN rd1.2 can be used for Cat. 3 / PL d and so can safely protect robot applications too. In conjunction with the equally new analysing unit PSEN rd1.x […]
“You must be diversified enough to survive bad times,” said the American academic and investor, Joel Greenblatt, “so that skill and good process can have the chance to pay off in the long-term.” Here, Nigel Smith, CEO of TM Robotics, explains the importance of robot programming that’s simple enough to be refigured to any kind […]
UK robotics company Cyberselves has won a spot in the finals of the prestigious ANA Avatar XPRIZE global robotics competition. Cyberselves’ telepresence technology allows humans to teleport into a robot and control it in an intuitive, immersive way. The human operator can see, hear and feel through the robot, allowing them to perform tasks from […]
Motion plastics and low-cost automation at MACH 2026
igus returns to MACH with a comprehensive range of engineering innovations designed to improve machine reliability, reduce downtime and deliver long‑term cost savings for manufacturers across all industry. With the UK operation based in Northampton, igus develops lubrication‑free motion plastics that replace traditional metal components, increasing performance while eliminating the need for grease and maintenance. […]
RBTX DOBOT partner launch hailed a success
igus UK marks a major milestone in accessible automation with the successful launch of its RBTX partnership with DOBOT Robotics. The event brought together engineers, system integrators, manufacturers and automation specialists to explore how flexible robotic solutions can be deployed quickly and cost-effectively, without the complexity traditionally associated with industrial automation. Live demonstrations showcased collaborative […]
What role does AI play in art?
The River of Light festival in Liverpool showcased ‘Face Value’, a captivating installation co-created by PhD student Emma Brass from the University of Liverpool and Venya Krutikov, co-founder of The Kazimier and Invisible Wind Factory. Blending artificial intelligence, robotics, and visual art, Face Value invites visitors to confront how technology perceives and redefines reality. The […]
Annual robot shipments to top 760k units in 2030
The industrial robot industry saw 5.1% growth in 2025, following a contraction of -2% in 2024, Interact Analysis reports. The market is now forecast to record steady growth out to 2030, at an average annual rate of 6.7%, rising from 549,555 units in 2025 to 761,303 units in 2030. The latest industrial robots report from […]
Universal Robots hosts Food & Beverage Masterclass
The Food & Beverage Masterclass, hosted by Universal Robots in June, 2026 at Riseholme Park in Lincoln, brought together industry professionals for a practical and engaging half-day event focused on end of line automation with collaborative robots (cobots). Designed to give attendees a clear understanding of how automation can be successfully implemented in food and […]
Cobot shipments will more than double by 2030
The collaborative robot market is entering a phase of sustained but uneven growth. Interact Analysis‘ latest Collaborative Robots – 2026 report points to a market that is maturing in some respects, particularly pricing, but volatile in terms of regional and application demand. Collaborative robot shipments reached nearly 58,000 units in 2025, having grown 14.5% over […]
Customised robotics and automation systems: Astech Projects is an award-winning provider of advanced automated solutions. We work with clients worldwide to design and build robotics and automation systems that meet
... Read More »
Gourmet-food-maker automates packaging process
Rockwell Automation has announced that Cranswick, one of Britain’s leading manufacturers of premium gourmet foods, has commissioned a new robotic end-of-line pick-and-place system using autonox Robotics. Every year, Cranswick produces millions of “pigs-in-blankets” (sausages wrapped in bacon) for the Christmas market. The final stage of the process – picking the sausages off the conveyor belt […]
Universal Robots hosts Food & Beverage Masterclass
The Food & Beverage Masterclass, hosted by Universal Robots in June, 2026 at Riseholme Park in Lincoln, brought together industry professionals for a practical and engaging half-day event focused on end of line automation with collaborative robots (cobots). Designed to give attendees a clear understanding of how automation can be successfully implemented in food and […]
Universal adaptive gripper for faster, gentler picking
Festo has introduced the HPSX Universal Adaptive Gripper, a pneumatic soft gripper engineered to improve speed, hygiene and flexibility in demanding food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics applications. Combining robust design, food-safe materials and adaptive silicone fingers, the HPSX directly addresses long-standing automation challenges where rapid, precise and gentle product handling is essential. “In developing the HPSX, […]
Manufacturing trends emerge from Fanuc open house
Fanuc’s recent Open House event revealed a number of emerging trends that the UK manufacturing sector must embrace to deliver growth in 2022. The event, which drew over a thousand professionals from across the industry, highlighted a number of key factors that will underpin the future success of manufacturing. One of the key discussion points […]