Boxes containing small metal parts are stacked to the ceiling in a narrow bay resulting in barely enough space to manoeuvre a single pallet between the wall and liquid tanks. Behind this assembly, there are rows of tightly packed electroplating tanks.

On the electroplating floor of Collini’s Swiss site near Zurich, Switzerland, space is certainly at a premium. That is why the company, which specialises in surface coatings, was looking for a space-saving solution that would give it a fast and reliable way of hanging small parts on racks for the electroplating bath. The conventional method of loading the racks by hand requires a lot of space and human resources because several racks need to be loaded at the same time.

“For that reason, we wanted to switch to a new coating system with automated loading,” explains Marco Fuchs, Head of Product Engineering at Collini. Since a system of this type has yet to be created, he embarked on a search for companies that would have the pioneering spirit to accept the challenge.

Fuchs found the right partner in Swiss automation company Roth Technik, which in turn relies on smart sensor solutions from Baumer for its projects. A specialist in smart, bespoke automation solutions, Roth Technik collaborated closely with its customer Collini to develop a fully automatic and compact loading line.

At the heart of the line are four robots that automatically load parts onto the empty hooks on the racks. The biggest challenge for the system to overcome was the fact that no two racks are the same. The hook positions are not located exactly in the same place on the welded racks every time, and some hooks may be bent, or missing entirely. This is not a problem for human personnel to deal with, but it is very much for robots that require precise positioning data. The enormous variety and high throughput of parts presented two more challenges.

Robots guided efficiently by a smart Baumer sensor

So how did the Roth Technik team solve the problem of rack position inaccuracy, enabling the robots to learn the exact positions of the hooks for each rack?

The development team found a simple yet effective solution in the compact OXM200 profile sensor from Baumer. Mounted on the robot arm, it detects the exact position of each individual hook as it moves down the rack and reports this back to the robot control. With the help of a camera, the robot then picks up one part after the other from the separating carousel and hangs it on a hook. The robot uses the position coordinates previously collected by the profile sensor to finely adjust the position of the part. This method is what enables the smart profile sensor to guide the robot precisely and quickly on the electroplating rack.

To begin with, Markus Roth’s team tested various solutions with camera-based systems and other laser-based scanners. “In the end, we went with the profile sensor from Baumer because it was the best solution for our strict requirements regarding accuracy, compact design, and ability to detect objects,” states Markus Roth, CEO of Roth Technik. The compact OXM200 reliably detects the thin hooks and is still able to scan several hook positions at the same time. Using the control, it then decides whether or not to load the hook.

Thanks to powerful, integrated measuring tools, the sensor outputs measured the values for the X and Z coordinates directly in mm, significantly reducing the number of calculations in the control. The conclusion is that these smart ultra-compact profile sensors are ideal in applications where space is at a premium, whilst eliminating the need for additional human resources.

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The latest season shares perspectives from across the global packaging and manufacturing ecosystem, with each interview exploring how OEMs are evolving their strategies to deliver value across the full machine lifecycle – from initial design through commissioning and long‑term operation.

“These discussions share how machine builders are redefining success around lifecycle value,” said Fabrizio Scovenna, regional vice president, OEM, EMEA, Rockwell Automation. “Across these conversations, we see a consistent shift toward strategies that integrate design, secure data and services to improve performance, resilience and long‑term outcomes.”

Each episode provides a distinct perspective on how OEMs are responding to changing customer expectations, increasing complexity and new performance requirements:

Olaf Clemens, CEO, SN Maschinenbau: Explores the growing role of cybersecurity as a foundation for connected machinery, enabling secure data integration, resilient operations, and long-term lifecycle value.

Gian Paolo Crasta, director general, UCIMA: Shares an industry‑wide perspective on how packaging machinery OEMs are redesigning machines for flexibility, digital services, and measurable lifecycle performance while balancing sustainability and productivity goals.

Alessandro Rocca, vice president of global sales, Cama Group: Examines how robotics and standardised architectures are helping OEMs accelerate deployment, improve repeatability, and deliver scalable lifecycle performance in high‑mix production environments.

Luis Villegas, president, AMEC Envasgraf: Provides an industry association perspective on how OEMs are rethinking the machine lifecycle – from design through delivery and operation – in response to digitalization, sustainability pressures, and skills challenges.

Steve Rackham, group technical manager, Bradman Lake Group: Discusses how modular design and integrated “process‑to‑pallet” strategies are enabling OEMs to manage SKU complexity, improve uptime, and build more flexible, future‑ready packaging lines.

Michael Lampe, innovation manager, Meurer Verpackungssysteme: Explores how OEMs are adapting to sustainability requirements, including the shift to new materials, while maintaining efficiency, flexibility, and lifecycle performance.

Bino Bastian, head of sales, ECONO-PAK: Discusses how digital twins are evolving beyond virtual commissioning into lifecycle assets that support engineering efficiency, collaboration and post‑startup optimisation, while addressing cybersecurity, compliance, and traceability requirements.

Piers Lamb, sales director UK and Ireland, Universal Pack: Highlights how data‑ready machine design is enabling traceability, compliance, and service‑led business models, while improving commissioning speed and long‑term operational performance.

Piyush Bhandari, Area Sales Head, Clearpack Group: Shares how OEMs are evolving from standalone machines to intelligent, connected systems to meet changing consumer demands while maintaining secure and resilient operations.

Davide Furini, Area Sales Manager, CT Pack: Discusses how digital tools, connectivity, and data are enabling more resilient machine performance, helping OEMs meet evolving lifecycle requirements and operational demands.

Across all interviews, a consistent theme emerges: OEMs are moving beyond project‑based delivery toward lifecycle‑driven strategies that integrate design, data and ongoing services.

Machine builders are increasingly recognising that decisions made during early design stages can significantly impact commissioning efficiency, uptime and long‑term serviceability. As a result, leading OEMs are focusing on:

• Embedding digital engineering and validation earlier in the design process
• Standardising architectures to reduce complexity and accelerate delivery
• Designing machines with data, connectivity and cybersecurity in mind
• Enabling remote services, predictive maintenance, and continuous optimisation

These approaches reflect broader industry pressures, including compressed timelines, workforce constraints, and rising expectations for sustainability and performance across the full lifecycle.

ROKStudios continues to serve as a platform for industry dialogue – offering practical, experience‑driven insights from industrial leaders navigating real‑world challenges. The series emphasises non‑commercial, peer‑level knowledge sharing, giving manufacturers a clearer view of how machine builders are responding to industry change.

Recorded at the recent Interpack 2026, the new videos – alongside others featuring executives and domain specialists from Rockwell Automation – join more than 150 previous recordings at the ROKStudios portal.

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As part of the collaboration, FANUC has developed a Physical AI system for industrial robots that incorporates the latest innovations from Google Cloud, including Gemini Enterprise – an enterprise-grade generative AI with robust security.

‘Physical AI’ is the integration of cognitive intelligence with physical action. This includes robots that can perceive their environment through sensors, make autonomous decisions and execute tasks accordingly. FANUC robots support ROS – the industry standard open platform for robot control – of which Google is a prominent contributor and maintainer through their Intrinsic robotics AI group.

FANUC’s portfolio also offers broad compatibility with widely used technologies, including the Python programming language for AI development, high speed communication interfaces for external robot control and interfaces that enable easy operation from PLCs.

Since the release of FANUC’s Physical AI system at the International Robot Exhibition last December, customer interest has continued to grow rapidly, with over 1,000 FANUC robots for Physical AI-related applications already shipped. At its New Product Open House Show in May, the company demonstrated a next generation Physical AI Robot System featuring generative AI Gemini, which understands human instructions, recognises objects and autonomously operates FANUC robots to perform assigned tasks. This revolutionary ‘AI-Powered Agent System for Industrial Robots’ enables both collaborative and non-collaborative robots to work together as a single cell based on simple natural language instructions.

In addition, FANUC provides full support for robot control compatible with Intrinsic’s development environment, ‘Flowstate’. Flowstate software is interoperable with ROS and allows for the quick and easy development of highly adaptable AI solutions by leveraging FANUC’s open platform technologies. FANUC is also participating in Google DeepMind’s ‘Gemini Robotics Trusted Tester Program’ to advance AI research on foundational robotics models for AI.

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IQ’s first step is Fit Check, a structured assessment of your operation and your application. Five minutes and then a clear answer: whether palletising is a fit for your floor, what the deployment looks like, and whether the financial return makes sense, including in 1-shift operations.

No site visit. No engineering hours up front. No waiting weeks for a quote that may not go anywhere. Just an honest read on your opportunity, before you commit to anything.

Once the fit is confirmed, IQ powers the full project – built on lessons from over 1,000 Robotiq deployments. It captures the reality of your operation. It connects your team with the right people at the right step. It generates a validated workcell design, simulated in your actual factory environment, so cycle time, reach, payload and all other specs are confirmed.

The result is a deployment-ready palletising workcell with predictable performance from day one. And when you’re ready to add a second line, the same path applies; no custom engineering, no starting from scratch.

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When a production line comes back online, time matters and seconds count. N-Tron NT7000 is built to minimise downtime with fast boot that passes traffic in less than 7 seconds and N Ring redundancy with around 20 ms healing, helping operations return to service quickly after network faults.

Hardware based precision timing

As motion, robotics, and other time sensitive industrial applications become more common, deterministic timing is no longer optional. N-Tron NT7000 supports hardware based IEEE 1588 PTP for sub microsecond time synchronisation, moving timestamping into hardware to reduce variation versus software based implementations, supporting more consistent timing for demanding applications.

Deploy faster, replace easier, support smarter. N-Tron NT7000 is designed not just to perform but to simplify the day to day realities of industrial networking. N View 3 provides switch and topology discovery, network health monitoring, firmware management, and centralized IP addressing. A micro SD card in the switch supports configuration backup and restore, helping enable faster replacement and recovery. For EtherNet/IP environments, CIP messaging AOI and Faceplate help simplify controls integration.

A scalable platform for modern industrial networks

The N-Tron NT7000 is a platform designed to support a wide range of industrial architectures and installation needs. It is offered in multiple configurations and connectivity options – including copper and fixed fibre variants to fit common compact and complex industrial designs.

NT7000 is certified for rugged industrial applications that customers actually deploy in, including UL Ordinary and Hazardous locations as well as ATEX and IECEx certification in addition to IEEE 802.3 compliance and ODVA, marine, railway and rolling stock certifications. The switches are housed in rugged, DIN-mountable all-metal enclosures and offer high shock and vibration tolerance, along with surge protection, redundant power inputs and extreme operating temperatures.

“Industrial teams keep telling us they need performance they can trust – without added complexity. The N-Tron NT7000 is built for that reality: fast startup, rapid recovery, hardware-based precision timing, and tools that make it easier to deploy, maintain, and restore. It’s designed to keep critical operations running in the environments where uptime matters most,” said Barry Turner, N-Tron Product Manager.

The OL-450S is now available in a standard no-mast configuration, with optional 1.2 m mid-mast and 1.6 m full-mast accessories. These options give manufacturers and system integrators greater flexibility in how the robot navigates and localizes in facilities with varying ceiling heights, traffic patterns, layout constraints, and workflow requirements.

The standard no-mast configuration keeps the OL-450S at its lowest profile while supporting safe, reliable cart transport in compact, height-constrained production spaces. It maintains route flexibility through narrow aisles, low door sections, overhead structures, and areas around fixed production equipment where added height could limit access.

The mid-mast configuration adds elevated scanning for highly dynamic, high-traffic environments where improved localisation and navigation are required, but vertical clearance remains limited. By raising the scanner above floor-level activity, it improves environmental visibility in shared spaces with moving carts, operators, and equipment while preserving access through elevators, doorways, and low overhead structures.

For larger, busier, or more visually complex operations, the full-mast configuration provides the highest scanning position to maximise environmental v6isibility and navigation robustness where height constraints are not a limiting factor. By referencing stable features higher in the environment, it strengthens navigation performance across dynamic production and intralogistics spaces.

Together, these configurations help manufacturers match the OL-450S to specific clearance, traffic, and workflow requirements.

Production-ready by design

The OL-450S is OMRON’s turnkey AMR solution for cart transport automation, combining a compact footprint, integrated lifting plate, and payload capacity up to 450 kg. With a 108 mm to 308 mm lift range, the robot can move under carts, lift them securely, and support existing material handling workflows with minimal infrastructure changes.

Across all configurations, omni-directional mobility helps the OL-450S move laterally, rotate in place, and manoeuvre efficiently through changing facility layouts. Natural feature navigation, onboard sensing, and wireless charging support dependable operation with less manual intervention.

For system integrators, the OL-450S also provides flexibility for application-specific cart designs. Its lifting plate can be raised, widened, or, within defined constraints, extended to support different payload dimensions and workflow needs while maintaining safety and stability.

“With the expanded OL 450S configurations, we’re giving customers the flexibility to match the robot to their environment instead of forcing the environment to adapt to the robot,” said Mona Fahimi, Global Product Manager for OL 450S at OMRON.

Centralised fleet management with FLOW Core

Like all OMRON AMRs, the OL-450S is managed through FLOW Core, OMRON’s fleet management platform. FLOW Core gives users centralized control over robot traffic, task assignment, and fleet coordination from a single interface. The platform supports fleets of up to 100 mobile robots with different payload capacities, while real-time visibility into robot activity and workflows helps teams coordinate transport tasks across the facility.

“Manufacturers need automation that works within the realities of their production environment,” said Justin King, Vice President of Product Management, Marketing, and Business Development. “With the expanded OL-450S lineup, they can apply the same cart transport platform across a wider range of facility conditions and workflow demands.”

For more information, visit the OL-450S product page or contact OMRON to discuss your application and identify the right approach for your material handling goals.

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Addressing growing demand in sectors such as shipbuilding and steel construction, it can be carried easily with just one hand, allowing a single person to supervise multiple welding locations and mitigating the Europe-wide shortage of skilled welders.

Boasting a 3kg payload, the CRX-3iA can manipulate a welding torch and a seam-tracking sensor simultaneously, while its ±0.02 mm repeatability delivers the precision necessary for critical welding tasks. It automatically detects its installation angle after relocation and identifies weld seam locations and calculates paths accordingly, thanks to a third-party laser scanner or touch sensor. Meanwhile, an optional magnetic base enables it to be secured directly to large steel structures. This reduces system complexity compared with traditional robot installations, which typically need heavier equipment and additional safeguarding measures.

As part of the wider CRX series – which extends to 30kg payload and 1,756mm reach – the CRX-3iA integrates fully with FANUC’s established control and software ecosystem. It also incorporates FANUC’s wrist button technology, which allows operators to guide and teach positions directly from the robot arm, streamlining programming and shortening changeover times.

Beyond welding, the CRX-3iA is ideally suited to applications such as intralogistics and mobile automation. Its compact footprint and low mass also make it ideal for mounting on an automated guided vehicle (AGV), where it can support picking, placing and line supply tasks. In addition, it lends itself well to education and training environments, where space constraints often render the use of traditional industrial robots impractical.

“Manufacturers need automation that adapts to their environment, not the other way around,” says Paul Ribus, FANUC’s Head of Sales Coordination Europe. “With the CRX-3iA, we focused on portability, fast deployment and high repeatability. It allows customers to take advantage of collaborative welding and handling wherever the work is, without complex installation.”

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Designed for seamless integration into modern production environments, the new cobots support a wide range of applications, including palletising, machine tending and material handling. Their compact design enables deployment in space-constrained environments, with both external and EDGE integrated controller options supporting mobile and modular setups.

“The introduction of the KR 1824 and KR 1240 marks an important step in expanding the capabilities of collaborative robotics,” said Christoph Rieger, Chief Sales Officer at Kassow Robots. “Our unique combination of EDGE integrated controller, mobile deployment, high payload and extended reach enable more demanding applications within dynamic production environments.”

The new models also deliver improved motion performance, including 50% higher joint torque, more than 20% faster wrist joint speeds, and 40% increased mechanical stiffness. These enhancements enable more stable handling of heavier loads, faster cycle times, and improved precision in demanding applications. Key benefits include:

• Increased payload capacity for more demanding applications
• Seven-axis design for maximum flexibility and extended reach
• Automation of tasks beyond traditional cobot limits
• Compact design and light footprint for space-constrained environments
• Integrated controller option for simplified deployment and mobile integration

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Companies operating factories and warehouses can now choose from a wide variety of robots, ranging from familiar industrial types like cartesian and SCARA robots, cobots in various sizes and industrial grades, and humanoid robots are expected to begin trials in some factories soon.

Among this diversity, the cobots segment has seen sustained and growing interest from businesses keen to combine the strengths of robots with human workers, acting collaboratively, to optimise productivity. The typical cobot form factor, as a multi-articulated robot arm, has quickly become widely accepted and adopted. These robots are well adapted for picking, placing, and packing tasks. The sizes available range from compact desktop units with a reach of less than half a metre and carrying capacity of around 1kg to floor-standing sizes capable of handling larger, heavier items.

The 6-axis cobot is a popular design that can closely mimic the movement of the human arm. The 6-axis cobot comes very close to matching the dexterity of the human arm. Standardised flanges for end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) provide a practical mounting option for end-effectors whilst also simplifying interoperability and interchangeability.

While all this comes impressively close to replicating the movement of the human arm, six axes cannot capture the full range allowed by human joints. By introducing an extra 360-degree swivelling joint in the cobot’s lower limb, between the second and third axes, a 7-axis machine can more closely emulate the human arm’s abilities.

Importantly, a 7-axis machine can reach locations within the overall movement envelope that a 6-axis robot cannot touch. A critical skill is to reach around obstacles or to work on both sides of a large assembly without repositioning the workpiece. This can allow production planners and programmers extra flexibility to optimise the workspace layout and the sequence of actions for the cobot to complete the desired task.

Extending torque control

While designing this extra axis into the lower limb for greater movement flexibility, Yamaha Robotics has also integrated miniaturised joints built with a hollow shaft to further enhance the flexibility of its 7-axis cobot.

In the cobot, the hollow joints make it possible to integrate a torque sensor in each of the machine’s axes. This contrasts with typical cobot design approaches, which tend to include torque sensing only in the upper part of the machine. The extra sensors enhance overall control, permitting increased movement precision that lets the cobot address a wider range of applications.

Some examples of the diverse types of processes these cobots can handle, leveraging the extra motion data extracted from all-axis torque sensing, include mating electrical connectors, building delicate assemblies, buffing, polishing, and deburring.

Connector mating demands fine motor skills when performed by human operators in conventional production lines. With the ability to handle this complex and delicate task, the cobot can bring greater automation to assembly areas and elevate productivity in ways that have been difficult or impossible to achieve before now.

In addition, the cobot can handle processes like deburring mechanical components after machining or drilling. Also, where buffing and polishing call for delicacy as well as precision, the extra torque sensors on-board Yamaha’s 7-axis cobot let the machine polish either curved or flat surfaces with care. It is thus suitable for use in final assembly of products such as optical equipment or for handling and packing decorative items, or cleaning and drying items to restore surface finish after washing.

Cobots with torque sensing on each axis can also enhance safety by reliably and instantly detecting contact with an obstruction of any kind, such as a human worker or other obstacles in the industrial environment.

Verified safety, flexible operation

The Cobot meets functional safety standards and is certified by the independent authority TUV SUD. Prior to its official launch, Yamaha Robotics introduced the system in its primary outboard motor production site at the Fukuroi South Factory in Japan. The production teams at Fukuroi helped to validate the cobot’s operation and functionality under real production conditions.

The 7-axis machines were integrated in accordance with the applicable safety standards, ISO 10218 that specifies limits such as force, pressure, and speed in processes that allow contact between cobots and human workers. ISO 10218 contains recent updates that apply specifically to robots’ collaborative modes.

If cobots are used for processes that involve no contact with humans, in guarded areas that are separated and protected with safety interlocks, the standards allow operation up to full industrial speeds. The Yamaha 7-axis cobot provides high-speed operating modes for use where conditions allow, enhancing flexibility for owners to address a wide range of applications.

Incorporating a seventh axis delivers a significant advantage for collaborative robots, permitting improved functionality and safety. As demands for automation continue to grow worldwide, as industries seek ever greater productivity, cobots that offer a seventh axis opportunities can provide greater flexibility to address demanding applications and even address unexplored opportunities. With the enhanced motion control made possible by extending torque sensing, these can include processes previously considered too difficult for typical models.

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Cyan Tec, Cyber-Weld and Expert Technologies will join FANUC on stand F40 at the NEC on 3-4 June for the UK’s most comprehensive gathering of manufacturing and engineering technology, services and solutions. Visitors to the FANUC stand can enjoy automation demonstrations featuring collaborative augmented reality welding, advanced sensing and vision systems, transfer and handling solutions, and a modular automation platform dubbed ‘a factory in a box’.

Live robotic technology showcase

Renowned for designing and building complex, precision engineered systems for demanding production environments, Cyan Tec works across a range of sectors including advanced manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, defence and medical devices. At this year’s show, its live ‘Technology Showcase’ demo cell on the FANUC stand will prove in real time how best in class automation building blocks can be seamlessly integrated into a single, compact and highly capable system.

Bringing together a selection of technologies that commonly feature across many of Cyan Tec’s real world applications, the demo cell features robotic automation from FANUC alongside advanced sensing and vision systems, transfer and handling solutions, high speed drives, gripper technologies, industrial communication protocols, air gapped security concepts, and high end PLC and HMI interfaces.

Augmented reality welding

Specialising in bespoke robotic welding systems, Cyber-Weld’s solutions help UK manufacturers increase production efficiency and remain competitive on the global stage. The FANUC system integrator partner will showcase its flagship Soldamatic Augmented Reality Welding cell – featuring a FANUC CRX10-iA collaborative robot – which aims to strengthen manufacturers’ welding capabilities.

Offering multiple virtual welding environments that replicate real world scenarios, Soldamatic enables the rapid upskilling of employees by significantly accelerating learning for practical applications. Visitors to the FANUC stand can see for themselves how combining immersive augmented reality with collaborative robotics enables faster skills development while reducing material wastage and consumable costs throughout the training process – all within a safe, flexible and future ready welding environment.

Scalable manufacturing with ‘factory in a box’

Also on stand F40 will be Expert Technologies, another longstanding FANUC system integrator partner. Delivering advanced automation and robotic solutions, its systems are designed to optimise processes, improve productivity and ensure quality at every stage of production. Live on the stand will be Flexcell, a modular automation platform from Expert Technologies dubbed a factory in a box, that scales seamlessly from early-stage prototyping through to full production – without requiring costly redesigns or rebuilds. Highly versatile, it can be deployed across virtually any operational use case, from manufacturing and assembly to inspection, testing, and material handling, with its phased approach reducing waste and time-to-value by up to 20%.

Cost-effective robot integration

“FANUC’s integrator network brings together industry expertise from a wide range of sectors, with each valued partner providing tailored automation solutions,” says Oliver Selby, FANUC UK’s Head of Sales. “We’re proud to be able to showcase the solutions of three of these partners at Smart Factory Expo, demonstrating live on our stand how they successfully integrate FANUC robots to drive cost efficiency, optimise production and deliver real value to UK manufacturers.”

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