Comau has introduced a new high-speed, 6-axis articulated robot featuring a payload of 3kg and a reach of just 630 mm. The third robot within the award-winning Racer family, Racer3 is Comau’s response to the growing market demand for fast, cost-effective robotic automation within small to medium-sized enterprises and emerging countries. With a streamlined design […]
A successful UK factory trial involving a FANUC M-10iA series robot and a novel vacuum gripper technology has proved that it is possible to pick and place sweetcorn cobs at speeds of 180 packs per minute. Besides providing proof of principle that robotics can be employed to handle this challenging product, the trial demonstrated that […]
Mike Wilson, general industry sales and marketing manager at ABB Robotics UK and Ireland, comments on how starting small could be the key to unlocking the potential of robotic automation in the UK. As someone with over 30 years of experience in robotics, it’s a source of great personal frustration for me to see the […]
Goudsmit Magnetics of Waalre has developed a new magnetic gripper, specially intended for high temperature applications, such as those in the bakery industry. Utilising magnetism and compressed air, these grippers can be used for positioning and placing baking tins on the infeed conveyors as well as for destacking lids from a magazine. The low weight, […]
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 […]
The Robioss robotics research team based at Poitiers University has developed a new generation of dexterous robotic hand. With 16 joints and 16 actuators, the robotic hand can reproduce complex human movements such as grasping and fine manipulation. Mounted on a Stäubli robot arm and controlled by the B&R Automation PC 910, this robotic hand is […]
With a payload capability of up to 650kg and a maximum horizontal reach of 2.70m, the SMART NJ 650 robot from Comau has been designed to meet market requirements for robots that can efficiently manipulate components of significant size and weight. Surpassing the capabilities of the previous version, the SMART NJ 650 complete’s Comau’s range […]
Food and drink manufacturers are this week backing calls to boost UK food production following reports that the nation’s self sufficiency is on the slide and within a generation over half of the UK’s food will be imported. Dennis Allison (pictured right), managing director of Pacepacker Services, explains why it pays UK food producers to […]
In the last 12 months there has been a noticeable uptake in robotics in the food processing sector. Although way behind the rest of the EU and US markets in terms of sales, global food security, volatile commodity prices and the much reported grocery price wars are all driving manufacturers towards the same conclusion; efficiency […]
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 […]
ChocoMatic comes to life with igus 7th axis
When customers tap a screen to choose their favourite chocolates, Roose Automation’s ‘ChocoMatic’ robot arm travels along a linear track, selects each chocolate, and delivers them without human intervention. Behind this playful, hygienic automation lies a clever piece of engineering: the 7th axis from igus. Roose Automation wanted to give its robot arm the freedom […]
Cost-effective robotic automation products
Mouser Electronics announces a distribution agreement with igus, a global leader in industrial and automation products. With over 60 years of design experience and a strong reputation for quality, igus offers a range of technically advanced “motion plastics” designed for Industry 4.0 and 5.0. The igus product portfolio includes flexible cables, robotic components, motor control […]
RARUK Automation demos cobot palletising solution
On 11-12 February 2026, Packaging Innovations and EMPACK will be returning to the NEC in Birmingham. RARUK Automation will be showcasing the PE10 Robotiq Palletising Solution designed specifically for Universal Robots collaborative robots (cobots). Palletising is a repetitive and strenuous task that poses risk of injury to workers. For manufacturers looking to increase efficiency, palletising […]
New off-the-shelf and modular palletisers
End-of-line palletising is a task commonly automated across a range of industries, due to bottlenecks and the risk of repetitive strain injury (RSI) to workers. RARUK Automation can now offer two simple approaches to palletising automation, from partner Robotiq. RARUK Automation is the exclusive UK representative for Robotiq, a Canadian manufacturer of end-of-arm tooling and […]
Comau presents advanced automation at ITSA 2025
Comau showcased its advanced automation technologies at Industrial Transformation Saudi Arabia, (ITSA) held from December 1 to 3 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre (RICEC) at Booth number 1-535. As the region’s leading platform for industrial innovation, the HANNOVER MESSE-backed event brought together global and local stakeholders committed to accelerating smarter, greener, and […]
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Bridging the gap in food and beverage plants
Food and beverage plants increasingly operate with a blend of equipment generations: legacy machinery that has served reliably for years, and newer automation technologies designed to enhance efficiency, traceability and sustainability. This hybrid setup gives manufacturers flexibility to modernise gradually, but it also presents a growing challenge: how to maintain ageing assets while integrating more […]
FANUC robot pairs hygiene with high performance
To meet the growing demand for food and cleanroom applications, FANUC has unveiled the latest model in its LR Mate industrial robot range. The compact and powerful LR Mate 10-11A Food/Clean has a 10kg payload and is compliant with ISO 4 Class cleanrooms. This makes it ideal for use in highly controlled environments across sectors […]
ChocoMatic comes to life with igus 7th axis
When customers tap a screen to choose their favourite chocolates, Roose Automation’s ‘ChocoMatic’ robot arm travels along a linear track, selects each chocolate, and delivers them without human intervention. Behind this playful, hygienic automation lies a clever piece of engineering: the 7th axis from igus. Roose Automation wanted to give its robot arm the freedom […]
Robots will become the norm in food processing
There have not been that many robots used in food processing industries to date but we are on the cusp of a sea change, says Chris Evans, Marketing & Operations Group Manager at Mitsubishi Electric Europe BV Automation Systems Division. Five years from now they will be very much the norm. Modern food processing industries […]