A wine harvester has designed an autonomous ‘steep slope’ harvesting vehicle with igus energy chains. Christmas means friends, food and, for many, a few drinks. White wine is the most popular alcoholic beverage in the UK and we consume about £12bn of alcohol in the four weeks leading up to Christmas. To keep supplying wine, […]
The industrial robot market is facing a mixed picture over the coming years according to the latest forecast from Interact Analysis, with 2024 set to end on a challenging note. Global robot shipments are projected to decline by 0.2%, following a flat performance in 2023. “Compared with our May 2024 forecast, we have revised our […]
Automate UK has announced the appointment of Peter Williamson as its new Chairman, succeeding James Causebrook, who stepped down this week having reached the end of his two-year term. James’ term was a key period for the organisation incorporating its rebranding, the finessing of its core values and the enhancement of its offering to provide […]
Automation can enhance jobs, making them safer and quicker for humans. Nevertheless, reaping these benefits means closing a wide automation skills gap, explains Stephen Hayes, managing director at automation specialist Beckhoff UK. We are routinely told that millions of jobs will be lost to automation, but the real impact depends on how we manage the […]
FANUC has introduced the latest model to its extensive robot range, bringing greater versatility to lifting and handling operations. A large and heavy-payload industrial robot, the new M-950iA/500 boasts a wide motion range thanks to its serial-link configuration, meaning no interference of the main J3 arm with the J2 arm due to the absence of […]
The rapidly increasing aging population will lead to a shortage of care providers in the future. While robotic technologies are a potential alternative, their widespread use is limited by poor acceptance. In a new study, researchers from Chiba University have examined a user-centric approach to understand the factors influencing user willingness among caregivers and recipients […]
Matt Androsiuk of Cobots and Machinery Safety (FANUC UK’s cobot safety partner) outlines how to navigate the updated robot safety standards and get ahead of the proposed changes, to ensure your applications remain compliant. Known for their ability to share the same workspace as human employees, collaborative robots (or cobots) are now a mainstay of […]
ABB has entered into a strategic collaboration with Austria-based Engineering Software Steyr (ESS) to develop powerful simulation tools that will transform automotive paint shop operations while reducing costs by up to 30 percent. As part of the collaboration, ABB will take a minority investment in ESS. “Delivering faster and more energy efficient solutions for the […]
Two Renishaw apprentices have been recognised as the brightest young talents in industrial robotics, winning the prestigious WorldSkills UK competition. Morgan Leyshon and Aled Gore, both 21 and from Bridgend, Wales, secured the gold medal in Industrial Robotics, beating over 80 contenders in an eight-month-long contest. The winners will now represent Team UK at the […]
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 […]
Regulatory guidance for collaborative robotics
Automate UK has announced a pioneering partnership with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) to create new guidance on how collaborative robots can safely work alongside humans. Along with the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), the organisations are working together with government and industry to support the safe and responsible adoption […]
STEMMER IMAGING launches new digital store
STEMMER IMAGING announces the launch of SIS-TA, Smart Industry Store – Technology Access, a newly established subsidiary designed to address the growing demand for fast, transparent, and highly efficient procurement processes within industrial automation. Launched officially on 1 June, SIS-TA introduces a fully digital and transactional sales platform for smart industry components, strategically expands STEMMER […]
Strong growth forecast for cobot shipments
Shipments of collaborative robots (cobots) are predicted to grow at an average annual rate of 17.3% from 2025 to 2030. According to the latest market report from Interact Analysis, shipments will almost double over the forecast period to 128,918 units. This follows a positive 2025, with shipments of cobots increasing 14.5% to approximately 57,000 units […]
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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 […]
2025: (Finally) The year of the robots
2025 is going to be the year of the industrial robot in the United Kingdom. In fact, we are almost in a place where we could use the phrase ‘perfect storm’ without sounding hackneyed. Richard Stone, who is the founder of Stone Junction, a specialist technical PR agency, and who has been working with robot […]