FANUC has added a new 3kg payload parallel link (delta) robot to its high-speed Genkotsu series. The company says the M-2iA fills a gap between existing 1kg and 6kg arms, providing a large work envelope combined with high throughput performance to meet the needs of mid-range assembly and handling tasks. Two variants of the M-2iA […]
Farnborough-based Peak Analysis & Automation (paa), working in conjunction with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, has developed ‘automate.it pixcell’ – a flexible robotic system for precise detection, isolation and picking of part or whole stem cell colonies from Petri dishes. It then transfers the colonies to mircotiter plates ready for further development. The system consists of a very […]
Responding to manufacturers’ demands for more economical automation solutions, Pacepacker Services has launched a second user robot range. It says the Blu-Robot pick and place systems are typically half the cost of a new robot. Incorporating a second user robot arm, Pacepacker’s economical Blu-Robot range comes with over 20 different end effectors to suit bespoke […]
ABB has won an order for 2,400 robots from BMW Group. Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig, Germany, as well as in Tiexi, China. The ABB robots will mainly be used for material handling tasks, as well as gluing and spot welding processes. BMW’s choice of […]
The installation of a palletizing robot at the end of its bottling line has boosted the competitiveness of a UK heritage beer bottling business. A Kawasaki robot was chosen after trials were carried out on all container types to be palletised. Edwin Holden’s Bottling Company Limited, based in Sedgley, has a distinct heritage feel which […]
A delta robot solution that is no more difficult to integrate into your system than any other standard automation component? Mark Simms takes a look at the latest part of Omron’s innovative Sysmac platform. These days machine builders who develop machines for the packaging industry are facing ever increasing challenges to provide designs that will […]
The latest version of FANUC’s LRMate 200 robot is more compact, faster, has increased payload and offers a larger work envelope. Ideally suited for integration into special purpose machinery, the LRMate 200iD offers a payload of 7kg, with an uprated wrist assembly that makes longer tool offsets possible. FANUC says increased joint speeds on every axis […]
Manchester-based AIM Engineering, whose customers include aircraft and vehicle manufacturers, has joined KUKA’s ‘official system partern’ scheme, which provides a wide range of services to system integrators such as product technical support and marketing help. Pictured are Grant Hudson (left), sales business manager at AIM Engineering and KUKA robot sales specialist Richard Goodwin (right). Partners are […]
Getting down and dirty in ash is one process that personnel at H+H UK, Goole, are pleased to leave to a new Kawasaki industrial robot. Manufacturing its market leading Aircrete Building Blocks from a mixture of pulverised fuel ash (PFA), cement and lime creates an aggressive environment for clean-up operations. The H+H factory in Goole […]
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 […]
Automating with robotics at MachineBuilding.South
Industry commentators agree that UK manufacturers will need to increase their investment in robotics if they are to keep up with international competition. At MachineBuilding.South you can find out how, with numerous exhibits from robotics, control, automation and safety specialists. LG Motion (Stand 46) will be showcasing Techman Robot (TM Robot) collaborative robots at MachineBuilding.South with […]
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 […]
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
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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, […]
Robots have key role to play in the food industry
At a recent food and beverage industry conference hosted by Mitsubishi Electric, Chris Buxton, CEO of the Processing & Packaging Machinery Association (PPMA), highlighted, among other things, the important role of robots. (Pictured) Attendees at the food and beverage conference. UK food prices have risen 12 percent in the last five years, while incomes have fallen […]