Throughout the day, experts from SMC, Omron, Universal Robots, Danfoss Drives and Spin Robotics will tell you, in short 15 minute presentations, how the introduction of new technology has helped their customers increase productivity and profitability.

Running alongside these presentations you can also see some of these products in action at the event’s mini exhibition which will feature a host of amazing dynamic and static displays from even more specialist suppliers.

This fast-paced event has been specifically developed to give visitors total flexibility, so if you’ve only got an hour to spare whatever time of the day, you will still have the opportunity to hear and see how new technology can make your businesses even more successful.

Visitors working on specific projects who require technical advice, have the opportunity to pre-book 1-2-1 appointments with any of these experts prior to the event or even on the day, subject to availability.

Attendance at Innovative Solutions is free so reserve your place here.

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Headquartered in Odense, the robotics capital of Denmark, Spin Robotics has already sold its screwdriving solution to over 33 new distributors throughout Europe in just five months, and is now looking to expand its sales following a major investment and backing by REInvest Robotics.

Esben Hallundboek Ostergaard, CEO at REInvest and former co-founder of the leading Danish robot manufacturer Universal Robots, stated: “Over the years, I have visited many manufacturing companies throughout the world and have often seen the need to automate one-sided repetitive assembly work, including screwdriving tasks. Spin Robotics has developed the right solutions for this, by achieving increased quality and less wear and tear on the assembly worker in a way that is both safe and flexible.”

David Rowe, managing director of Plymouth-based Applied Automation, is delighted to add Spin Robotics solutions to its growing range of high-quality industrial automation products which are supported and sold through its technical distribution division based in Cardiff. “We are proud and delighted to be appointed as the sole UK Distributor for Spin Robotics,” he said.

“The projected growth of collaborative robots is set to surge and a major benefit for companies is their ROI efficiency. Adding a screwdriving system fits really well with our existing collaborative and industrial robot portfolio offerings. Assembly applications, within intelligent manufacturing environments, where both employees and machines share tasks will be key to boosting productivity, value and job satisfaction in the future,” he concluded.

Kristoffer Hansen, chief sales officer at Spin Robotics, is delighted to add Applied Automation to their distributor network: “We are seeing a high demand for our product in the UK market – a market that is ready for this solution, and the automation of screwdriving processes,” he said.

“For some time, we have been looking to appoint a sole distributor in the UK – one that shares our ethos and has the level of technical knowledge to support our end users locally,” he continued. “We believe we’ve found this in Applied Automation. We are confident that with their experience of the UK market, this collaboration will prove to be mutually beneficial to both our companies and also to all our UK end users in the future.”

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The sale of collaborative robots has seen tremendous growth in the last few years. A number of products have come to market that integrate with the robot arms which has further increased the number of applications they can be used for.

OptoForce is a Hungarian company that produce a force torque sensor that brings the sense of touch to industrial robots that otherwise require the dexterity of the human hand. Easy-to-install, light-weight and robust, the OptoForce 6-axis sensor offers greater opportunities to perform high-precision work such as polishing, box insertion, and other finer assembly tasks.

On Robot is a Danish company that make innovative plug and produce grippers that help manufacturers take full advantage of the benefits of collaborative robots. Certified by Universal Robots, the grippers are simple to program and install, with no external cables.

EasyRobotics is also a Danish company that produce a series of modular robot platforms that the Universal Robots robotic arms can be mounted onto and used for a variety of applications. The ProFeeder unit is a modular robot cell that can be expanded in three steps, from small to large, where the expansion and investment is made in accordance with production needs. They also produce the ER5, which is a portable unit that complements the range with a unique mobile platform that one person can easily move like pulling a suitcase.

Anders Kjempff, chief sales officer for Easyrobotics said: “Having industrial experience is essential to build customer confidence and satisfaction in our products. Something that X-STK | Applied Automation have plenty of. With rising demand for collaborative robots and easy-to-move robot cells, like our popular ProFeeder solution, I’m optimistic this will be a positive relationship. I’m really looking forward to working with the great people at X-STK.”

Ronald David, north European sales manager for On Robot and OptoForce said: “We’re excited to partner-up with X-STK | Applied Automation as one of our authorised distributors in the UK. The ethos behind both our products (collaborative gripper and force torque sensor) is to provide manufacturers with innovative technologies that are easy to understand, even without advanced engineering expertise. With these UR+ certified products, UK manufacturers can now automate applications that were once impossible and still be able to comply with the ever-increasing safety and quality standards.

“With more than 30 years of machine building for large-scale manufacturers, we’re confident the X-STK team are ideal partners for us to convey the features and benefits of our products to our existing and future customers in the UK.”

The use of industrial robots, particularly among SMEs, is seeing strong growth, although the UK lags behind many of its European neighbours and is below the world average in the use of industrial robots, suggesting Britain must automate more if it wants to stay competitive.

Applied Automation managing director David Rowe said: “It is astonishing when you consider the range of applications collaborative robots are being used for today, especially when paired with sensors and grippers. This is especially welcome for SMEs who until recently found similar devices prohibitively expensive. Now they’re affordable, our job is to show customers how to integrate them into their existing production environment.”

The cobot market is growing. Universal Robots announced recently that its 2017 performance showed a 72% increase on sales in 2016. Unlike conventional robotic solutions, cobots are designed to work hand-in-hand with operators with maximum efficiency, opening up more opportunities for human-robot collaboration in the workplace.

Applied Automation sales director Andy Haly said: “These highly versatile cobots can take on a wide spectrum of tasks and have the fastest payback time in the industry, making them a viable option for small-scale businesses where conventional options may be too expensive.”

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In order to meet the growing demand for their product, linear motion experts, HepcoMotion, decided to automate the loading and unloading of a CNC milling machine. Installing the UR10, supplied by X-STK, has increased efficiency by 47%.

Choosing the right robot for this application presented a number of challenges. Space was limited and machine downtime needed to be minimal.

As Universal Robots can operate without guarding, the largest of the UR robots, the UR10, still fit within the available area. It also has a 1300mm reach radius which was required for the operation.

UR robots can be deployed quickly and offer a plug and play solution. They are very easy to programme. No specialist skills are required to deploy the UR robot, unlike conventional robots. Operators use an intuitive, 3D visualisation and can simply move the robot arm to desired waypoints or touch arrow keys on the tablet. X-STK | Applied Automation runs training courses for customers and has found that people pick up basic programming within an hour. To learn the equivalent level of programming for other industrial robots can take up to two days.

Deploying the UR10 quickly allowed Hepco to get the process up and running with minimal disruption. The average set up time for a UR robot is just half a day. The price point, ease of programming, set up and lack of expensive guarding requirements also mean UR robots offer fast payback on investment.

The UR10 in operation at Hepco is the largest of the three in the Universal Robots product range. It has the biggest footprint and payload. The robots are categorised based on payload limits and the UR3 and UR5 also differ in reach, weight and footprint. The UR5 is suited to applications such as pick and place and the UR3 is a lighter weight table top arm. All offer the same ease of use.

Universal Robots ‘cobots’ are collaborative, they can work safely right alongside employees without guarding after a risk assessment has been carried out. Built-in force control limits the force at contact.

The UR cobots are also lightweight and can be easily moved and redeployed to other tasks in the factory. Rapidly growing manufacturer of motorbike accessories, SHAD, needed an economically viable solution for short production runs as they have frequently changing product lines. They now use a UR5 for a screw driving application and chose UR as they would be able to move the cobot around the facility and quickly reprogramme it.

The family of UR cobots are sold in 55 countries around the world. UR boasts you can automate virtually anything in almost any environment and industry. The cobots are used for tasks ranging from high precision lab work to welding and assembly, in multi-nationals and small businesses.

The ease of use, flexibility and price brings value to areas where automation was previously impractical. They are making it accessible to smaller companies and improving productivity.

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The new status will also mean more benefits for customers who can take advantage of the X-STK team’s technical knowledge and expertise, an enhanced level of support and access to resources including training.

Managing Director, David Rowe said: “Our sales team has been incredibly impressed with these robots and the reaction of the market. We are selling them to a broad range of industries and for many different applications. The market response has been phenomenal and I’m very pleased our successes are being rewarded with this promotion from Universal Robots.”

The collaborative robots from Universal Robots are a game changer for industry. Their cost efficient price, fast return on investment and flexibility are making it possible for companies to automate new processes. As a tool for manufacturing, these cobots can work safely alongside employees and are easy to program. They are proving hugely popular and resulting in increased efficiency when working collaboratively with humans. 10,000 UR cobots are now in operation around the world. In the UK, X-STK has sold robots into sectors including automotive, white goods and education.

Per Kloster Poulsen, Universal Robots Regional Sale Director said: “We wish X-STK | Applied Automation congratulations with the Preferred Partner status. Getting the Preferred Status in less than a year is a solid achievement and we appreciate the good cooperation we have and are looking forward to continue this for many years ahead. We have potential for exponential growth for collaborative robots in the UK market and it is therefore crucial for Universal Robots to team up with partners with high technical competence and professionalism such as Applied Automation in order to achieve this.”

For more information go to www.x-stk.com/universalrobots or visit the Applied Automation website

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Demands on production lines and robot cells are continuously increasing. This involves factors such as quality and flexibility, as well as energy efficiency, sustainability and productivity. Additional operations usually require additional robots; but with the facility to quickly and automatically change the tools on a robot arm, the need for a second or even third robot is eliminated, significantly reducing the capital investment required, improving payback and often reducing the overall cell footprint.

For years, the robot market was fairly static in terms of new products; then along came the collaborative robots. These ‘cobots’ have stimulated the next phase of development in robotics and are driving growth in the sector. The range of robot types has become broader and, arguably, the selection of a suitable robot for an application has become more complex.

There are six primary types of industrial robots: articulated – the unit is fitted with rotary joints; cartesian or gantry –  the robot is constructed from linear axes; cylindrical – the robot has one rotary joint at the base and one prismatic joint; polar or spherical – the arm is connected to the base with a twisting joint and a combination of two rotary joints and one linear joint; SCARA – the robot is similar to a cylindrical type but has two parallel joints that provide compliance in one selected plane; and delta – where the robot is spider like with three or four arms or parallelograms connected to a common base. There are a number of variants of each type subject to the number of axes fitted or required, or where the robot design has been tailored to suit a specific process.

Confused? You have every right to be. The choice seems complicated. However, you can simplify the selection process by first considering these seven points:

1. The process

There are robots available in the market that have been specifically designed to suit certain applications: welding robots, paint spraying robots or palletising robots. In this instance, you can be confident that the robot type is suited to the application.

2. Mass of the product

Consider the mass of the product or products to be handled and add to that mass the allowance for the end effector which is generally some form of gripper unit. Also allow for any process loads, ie if the robot is going to be used to press fit a component into another, you need to add on the insertion force. Obviously this is one of the most important factors – small robots typically have a load carrying capacity of 2 or 3kg but some of the big articulated handling robots can carry loads of 2000kg or more.

3. Field of operation

Determine the field or zone within which the robot needs to operate – the robot reach. Subject to the robot type, the shape of the operating field changes. A Cartesian robot constructed from three linear axes – two horizontal and one vertical – and can operate in a simple box or cube shaped zone, whereas a SCARA operates in a heart or kidney shaped prism with a circular hole passing through the middle. Some robots can be mounted inverted, and it is quite common to see an articulated robot suspended from the ceiling in order to gain the best use of its working envelope.

4. Dexterity

Decide on the dexterity required: for example, does the robot only need to operate in two planes for a pick-and-place operation or are the movements required much more complex?

5. Accuracy

What accuracy/repeatability is required at the end effector? If you need to pick up a part and insert it into a tight tolerance hole, the robot needs to provide sufficient accuracy for the fit to be achieved. The most accurate robots will quote repeatability figures of ±0.01mm whereas for something like a spraying operation you can use a robot with far less precision.

6. Speed

Determine the speed of the operation or cycle time and be aware of the likely path of movement or any objects within the field of the robot which it may need to avoid.

7. Environment

What is the nature of the environment within which the robot will operate? There are robots designed specifically for clean room applications where the robot must not shed debris and other robots designed to work in ATEX rated environments.

Based on these considerations, we can now explore the different types of robot available.

Articulated robots. Typically a 5- or 6-axis robot, the articulated robot is the most dextrous. They are frequently used for handling or assembly work, spray painting, spot welding, arc welding and machine loading. Articulated robots are available with load carrying capabilities from a couple of kilograms to more than 2000kg and have a reach of up to 4m. They can be very accurate/repeatable and pretty fast, particularly where a lighter load is carried.

SCARA robots. Commonly used for assembly applications or high speed handling of parts, the SCARA robots tend to be quicker than articulated robots but are less dextrous and generally are not able to provide a great reach or the ability to handle large masses.

Cartesian or gantry robots. These are a relatively simple robot usually offering 2 or 3 axes of movement in a simple straight line format. They are generally used for simple pick-and-place applications, palletising or perhaps the unloading of a mould machine. A small scale Cartesian can be relatively low cost and simple to integrate and program, whereas a large scale Cartesian can be designed to take extremely high loads and have very long axis of travel. Cartesian robots tend not to be used for very high speed applications.

Delta robots. Delta are the highest speed robots available in the market with the ability to operate at 10m/s and undertake a standard reciprocal goal post move of 25mm lift, 305mm travel and 25mm lower with a mass of 1kg in 0.36 seconds. Generally though, this robot type is not able to carry very high loads (up to a maximum of 6kg) so they tend to be used for high speed pick-and-place applications, perhaps picking parts from a moving conveyor and placing them into a container.

Collaborative robots. The new kids on the block, collaborative robots can work alongside employees without the need for guarding. They are the real game changer. In effect, they are an articulated arm type robot but can safely limit the force generated and set safety limits on their fields of movement. The Universal Robots cobots are easy to program, have a relatively low purchase price and are very easy to deploy, hence a rapid ROI.

With these general types of robot (and their variants), the choice really comes down to your application. We hear that 30% of the collaborative robots sold are being used in applications where a traditional articulated robot would operate. That means a staggering 70% are being used in new applications, so cobots really have opened up a wide variety of industries. They have many advantages. However, cobots tend not to carry high payloads or operate at very high speeds. Switching from traditional to collaborative robots is not a straightforward swap.

So what is the best type of robot? The simple answer is that it completely depends on your application. It is an exciting time for the industry, with collaborative robots driving innovation and providing new opportunities. With new developments there are now so many options available you have a far better chance of finding something to suit your specific needs.

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An area of the factory was transformed into an exhibition space with displays of products that are sold by the X-STK distribution division. The automation experts demonstrated the Universal Robots collaborative robots and Secomea, a secure remote access solution for machine builders. Suppliers including SMC Pneumatics and Omron also set up stands, showcasing their latest products to guests.

As part of the official ceremony, VIPs from key partners unveiled a plaque at the engineering centre, marking a major milestone in the company’s expansion.

Managing Director David Rowe said: “It was a really exciting day for us. Buying and refurbishing the factory was a significant investment for Applied and it paves the way for our ambitious growth plan. We’re expanding our teams and our customer base, adding new products lines and entering new markets.

“We have a broad portfolio and the event was an opportunity for our customers and suppliers to look around the new factory and see the scale of the business. I’m delighted that so many people travelled such long distances to share in our celebration and toast our future success.”

Applied Automation moved into the new factory last year after an extensive refurbishment of the building. The site is 140,000 square feet and more than double the combined size of the two factories previously occupied by the company.

Mr Rowe added: “We had outgrown the two sites were used to occupy. We wanted to bring the teams together under one roof to strengthen collaboration between divisions and we desperately needed more space. Although moving here was a big jump in size, this factory gives us some room to grow and we don’t want to have to move again any time soon.”

Founded in the 1980s with three staff in a small unit, Applied Automation originally made control systems for industry. While engineering remains the core business, the firm’s divisions now span a range of activities including profile assemblies, bridge systems for superyachts and home automation. The business exports worldwide across Europe and to China and the US.

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Working alongside the team on stand D980 will be the collaborative robots from Universal Robots. Lightweight and easy to programme, the six-axis robot arms are affordable solutions that operate safely without guarding. In addition, an Omron delta robot will feature as part of a complete automation and control solution, picking product at high speed from a conveyor. The delta robot can achieve up to 200 cycles per minute and can be synchronised with multiple conveyors to perform on-the-fly pick and place operations.

Of all the emerging robotics technologies, mobile robots are being hailed as the single biggest trend for the future. X-STK will be sending an Adept Lynx AIV (Autonomous Indoor Vehicle) out to explore the aisles of the Drives and Controls Show. The Lynx is designed to move goods around challenging environments, intelligently navigating around people and unplanned obstacles.

With the three robots, X-STK will demonstrate different ways the human and robot workforce can work seamlessly together, improving efficiency and quality and lowering costs. Also on display on this stand will be the MayTec range of aluminium profile and pipe and joint systems used to build machine frames, guards and factory equipment.

X-STK|Applied Automation managing director David Rowe said: “We’re really excited about our first appearance at Drives and Controls. The Robotics Zone will be a great opportunity for visitors to see how the sector is evolving. The collaborative robots from Universal Robots are proving hugely popular and we’re expecting a lot of interest in them.”

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David Rowe, managing director of X-STK | Applied Automation said: “There is a lot of excitement in the industry about these ‘cobots’. They are truly collaborative and can work right next to human employees – you don’t need to put guards around them.

“We so often hear that cost is a barrier to investment in automation; well the UR robots make automation accessible for all levels of industry. Entry prices are in the region of £12,000, so huge capital outlays aren’t required. There’s a really fast return on investment so they’re a game changer for a lot of companies who can benefit from automating repetitive tasks.”

By adding Universal Robots to its distribution partners, X-STK | Applied Automation is extending its robotics portfolio. Already an Omron Premier Partner and now also involved with the recent Omron acquisition, Adept, X-STK is well placed for a future where automation and robotics are key areas for manufacturers.

Mr Rowe added: “Universal Robots is good fit for us. Our sales engineers can offer training and support, and customers benefit from our broader automation and engineering experience.”

X-STK | Applied Automation will be demonstrating the UR cobots at the Drives and Controls Show at the NEC in April.

Visit the X-STK website for more information on Universal Robots.

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The demonstration introduced the Carryline flexible plastic chain conveyor, with the spiral conveyor featuring in a machine set-up with a robot spelling challenge. The conveyor was integrated with Omron technologies, which Applied Automation uses to develop complete automation, control and materials handling solutions.

The demonstration showed the robot picking pucks from the conveyor – each puck having a letter inscribed on it – and placing them to spell out a word.

Visitors to the stand initiated the ‘Spelling Challenge’ by selecting a word on the HMI screen adjacent to the cell. This information is fed to the vision system which scans the pucks as they pass beneath it. The pattern matching algorithm enables the vision system to identify the position of each puck, the specific letter it contains, and the orientation of the letter.

Each time a required letter is found, the positional and orientation data is fed to the delta robot, which picks the puck and positions it adjacent to the conveyor, repeating the action to spell out the required word.

All of this happens at high speed, with the conveyor not pausing for a moment to make it easy on the vision system and robot. Not that this is a problem: the vision technology is designed to provide a high function inspection system, with advanced pattern matching algorithms and high speed processing of image data. The delta robot, meanwhile can achieve up to 200 cycles per minute and can be synchronised with multiple conveyors to perform on-the-fly pick and place operations. All of this is under the control of a Sysmac NJ controller which offers sub millisecond response time when controlling a single delta robot, and the ability to control up to eight delta robots with a response time of just 2ms.

Applied Automation managing director David Rowe says: “From a machine building point of view, it is important that control equipment should be easy to integrate, and that’s exactly what we get with the Omron technology. With the delta robot, motion control equipment, vision system, HMI and PLC all linking over EtherCAT communications, all programmed and configured using the same Sysmac software, even the most complex automation systems are easy to put together.

“In addition, the fact that we can get all of this control equipment from a single source of supply has benefits from a logistics and support point of view.”

Flexible conveyors

The Carryline spiral conveyor is a space efficient configuration and, like all Carryline conveyors, can be built to the customer’s specification. The conveyors are easy to adapt and low maintenace, and there’s a choice of aluminium or stainless steel, six chain widths, and various chain types.

“We have ambitious plans for our Industrial Systems division and are pleased to add these conveyors to our product range,” says Rowe. “Applied is now the sole national agent for Carryline in the UK and Northern Ireland and we provide a full design and installation service.

“This was our first time at the PPMA Show so we were excited to be launching Carryline there and the robot challenge will be a bit of fun for visitors,” he continues. “The big message we picked up at the PPMA Show was that people want turnkey solutions. We were there to launch Carryline conveyors in the UK and we had a lot of interest, but visitors to our stand were asking for the extended integration services we offer as well. Many had imminent projects and wanted to discuss the available solutions, not just buy components.”

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