The EU’s automotive industry installed 30,650 industrial robots in 2024. This represents a 5% year-on-year decline. Six of the EU’s top ten vehicle-producing countries recorded double-digit losses. This is according to the World Robotics 2025 Industrial Robots report, presented by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). “The automotive sector is traditionally one of the strongest […]
Robot installations in the UK fell 35% in 2024, contrasting sharply with Europe, according to the latest figures from the International Federation of Robotics. Industry commentators agree that UK manufacturers will need to increase their investment in robotics if they are to keep up with international competition, and at MachineBuilding.Live you can find out how, […]
ABB Robotics has launched OmniCore EyeMotion that enables any OmniCore-powered robot to recognise its surroundings using any third-party camera or sensor and adapt in real time, even in complex applications. “Over the past decade, we have evolved AI vision to give robots ‘eyes’ that can see the world in 3D, but previously this required advanced […]
Digital transformation talks a big game, but many UK factories still juggle energy-hungry drives, manual changeovers and maintenance headaches. Those bottlenecks siphon profit every shift, and the current skills gap makes upgrades feel risky. SEW-EURODRIVE UK is heading back to the PPMA Total Show precisely to help you tackle that stalemate. The company’s stand will […]
Humanoid robots, widely recognised as one of the most promising carriers of artificial intelligence, are moving rapidly from the lab into everyday life and industry. To accelerate this transition, a large-scale Humanoid Robotics Data Training Centre has officially been launched in Beijing, creating a hub that unites core technology R&D, scenario-based application testing, operator training, […]
CP Foods UK is a major poultry producer supplying leading retailers, manufacturers and foodservice operators across the UK. With operations rooted in food safety, quality, and adaptability, the company constantly seeks ways to respond to shifting retailer and consumer demands. In its UK facilities, CP Foods UK prepares and packages chicken products for a dynamic […]
ABB Robotics has invested in California-based LandingAI to accelerate the transformation of vision AI, making it faster, more intuitive, and accessible to a broader range of users. This first of its kind collaboration will integrate LandingAI’s vision AI capabilities, like LandingLens, into ABB Robotics’ own software suite, marking another milestone in ABB’s journey towards truly […]
Flexible, modular workpiece transport can bring valuable extra speed to automated assembly with free pallets. Scalability is also enhanced, while built-in tracking provides traceability data to meet the requirements of demanding industries such as automotive, as the experts at Yamaha Robotics explain. Manufacturing companies often need to scale their capabilities and capacity quickly to meet […]
ABB has combined advanced robotics and artificial intelligence to create a one-of-a-kind artwork for the City=Gallery Street Art Festival in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic, home to Škoda’s main plant. Working in collaboration with the Škoda Auto Endowment Fund, Škoda Auto, PPG and the festival organizers, ABB’s IRB 5500 painted a large-scale mural designed entirely by […]
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 […]
ABB Robotics launches high-speed PoWa cobot family
ABB Robotics is combining the flexibility of cobots with higher payloads and performance, with the launch of its new PoWa cobot family into the rapidly expanding global collaborative robot market, which ABB Robotics estimates will grow by 20 percent annually through to 2028. “Cobots are growing significantly faster than traditional industrial robots, driven by demands […]
Flexible industrial automation solutions from Delta
Delta showcased its comprehensive portfolio of industrial automation solutions at Hannover Messe 2026, highlighting how its advanced drives, HMI panels, and controller solutions enable smarter manufacturing by improving energy efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability. At the same time, Delta ensures robust protection for customers across a wide range of industries, from machinery and food and beverage […]
Intelligent automation for laboratory workflows
Beckhoff UK will exhibit at London Lab Live at ExCeL London from May 6-7, 2026, where it will demonstrate how PC-based control can help pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturers build more flexible sample and product handling processes. A key attraction on the stand will be a live demonstration combining Beckhoff’s XTS intelligent transport system with a […]
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 »
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, […]
The beverage palletising shift is accelerating
Martin Ray Winery in Napa Valley has deployed its first lean cobot palletising workcell and achieved a 16-month ROI, with the system installed in just two days. You can find out all about it in a webinar hosted by Robotiq on 19 March. Across Europe and North America, beverage producers, from kombucha and bottled water […]
Robotics, vision and AI combine for dairy processes
Automation solutions provider Eberle Automatische Systeme has developed a breakthrough in quality control with a focus on the cheese-ripening process, combining AI with machine vision software from MVTec. The food industry is experiencing a transformative shift in quality control, due in part to advances in artificial intelligence (AI). When combined with rule-based machine vision, AI […]
The growing danger of unsecured machine identities
The wave of smart manufacturing is sweeping across the industry, bringing with it a seismic shift that is characterised by hyper-connectivity, relentless automation and unprecedented data-driven precision. However, manufacturing plants and factories are not just filled with machines; they’re teeming with thousands of non-human identities (NHIs), from robotic arms and PLCs to IoT and IIoT […]