Danish robot manufacturer Universal Robots achieved spectacular growth in 2014, with revenue increasing 70% and profit more than doubling. The company is on track to meet its goal of doubling turnover each year from 2014 to 2017. CEO Enrico Krog Iversen is pleased that Universal Robots has been able to sustain the high, profitable growth […]
The Robotics Update team were at the Hannover Messe this April, looking at the latest innovations and talking to the various robot suppliers, who were out in force. Over the next seven pages, we’ll present the most interesting and exciting of those innovations, and highlight the latest news from the key players. For a quick […]
Kawasaki Robotics has introduced its latest arc welding robot designed for high output demand in crowded manufacturing environments. The BA-006N welding robot is a completely new ground-up design ideally suited for densely populated welding robot cells, or stand-alone cells, where minimal space is available. With a lightweight arm design and high-output motors, the BA-006N welding […]
The FlexShapeGripper robot gripper from Festo is another of its bionic creations inspired by nature. The FlexShapeGripper provides a flexible and adaptable gripping mechanism that can be used in a wide range of applications. Pictured: the FlexShapeGripper can grasp, pick up and put down several differently shaped objects in one process. The FlexShapeGripper was developed […]
ABB has acquired German mechatronics company Gomtec to expand its offering in the field of collaborative robots. Gomtec’s technology platform will strengthen ABB’s development of a new generation of ‘safe-by-design’ collaborative robots that can be operated outside of cages or protective fencing, expanding opportunities to deploy them in new applications. Pictured: Gomtec’s Roberta colllaborative robot […]
Metralabs is best known for its consumer oriented service robots, but an interesting product on show at Hannover was the Scitos G5 Manipulator, comprising a Scitos G5 mobile base unit with a robotic arm, delivering a mobile robot capable of precise and delicate transportation tasks. The company says the Scitos G5 Manipulator offers an accuracy […]
There was a new name in robotics at the Hannover Fair, with automation giant Delta launching a new SCARA robot and a robot controller with integrated servo drive. Visitors to the Delta stand were able to witness live demos of the company’s SCARA robot arm solution which it says is capable of improving daily productivity […]
There was a massive buzz around the ABB Robotics stand at the Hannover Fair, where the company was highlighting its YuMi collaborative robot. The company also confirmed pricing for YuMi and announced its first orders for this fully collaborative, dual-arm robot. ABB chief executive officer Ulrich Spiesshofer said customers were energised by the possibilities offered […]
At this year’s Hannover Messe, Mitsubishi Electric and partners presented hands-on handling and automation solutions, with robotic highlights from quality control through to pick and place applications and systems for handling delicate goods One particular high speed application was based on the new RH-1FHR MELFA robot which is used by Bahr Modultechnik in a camera-supported […]
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 […]
Application phase for 10th vector award is now open
The application phase of the igus vector award 2026 has begun. Now in its tenth year, a joint initiative is honouring designers worldwide who use high-performance plastic energy chains to create cable guides that set new technological standards, with winners to receive up to 5,000 euros in prize money. The vector award has gained international […]
Cobot completes one millionth PCB quality check
Hanover Displays, a UK-based manufacturer of passenger information systems for the public transport sector, has reached a major manufacturing milestone: the completion of its 1,000,000th automated quality test of printed circuit boards (PCBs) using Techman collaborative robots from LG Motion. The automation programme began in 2018, when Hanover introduced its first collaborative robot to improve […]
UR and Scale AI launch imitation learning system
Universal Robots (UR) unveiled the UR AI Trainer at GTC 2026 in Silicon Valley. Developed in collaboration with Scale AI, the AI Trainer marks a tectonic shift as robots move from pre-programmed applications to fully AI-driven tasks. These systems are powered by robust data generated in AI training cells where robots imitate humans. “Our customers, ranging from […]
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 […]
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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 […]
Robots can be key for the bakery sector
Chris Sumner, MD of Fanuc UK considers why robotic uptake within the bakery sector has been lower than that in other manufacturing sectors. The bakery sector is extremely broad, covering anything from ingredients, mixes and blends to bread, rolls, cakes and pre-made snack foods. Robotic uptake within the bakery segment has traditionally been lower than […]