With robots now an essential element in many manufacturing facilities, users are benefiting from the increases in productivity, quality and consistency which these systems deliver. The high levels of reliability and uptime associated with robot systems however can sometimes lead to complacency when it comes to planning preventative maintenance schedules. There is little doubt that […]
Labour shortages have reached chronic levels in the food and drink industry. Stuart Coulton, UK market development manager at Omron Industrial Automation, argues that manufacturers can automate their way out of the crisis. Long-held fears that robots might rob human workers of their jobs are finally starting to dissipate with the realisation that there simply […]
New servo technology from Festo is helping Grolsch to put the iconic swing tops on its bottles of lager. The ‘swing-top transfer unit’ was custom-designed by Festo in conjunction with system integrator MCA Linear Motion Robotics and is installed at the Grolsch Enschede plant in The Netherlands. The ‘swing-top transfer unit’ provides approximately 3,800 swing-top […]
Under the laws of cricket, it is illegal for players to rub any substance other than saliva and sweat onto the ball, let alone scuffing it with their fingernails. Similarly, strict rules apply to the manufacturing of cricket balls. Cricket ball manufacturer Kookaburra designed its first ever machine tending robotic system to produce the perfect […]
Yamaha Motor Robotics Factory Automation Section shared advanced robotics and Haribo sweets with visitors at Motek 2021, held in Stuttgart from October 5-8. Europe’s showcase for state-of-the-art industrial automation, Motek presented one of the first opportunities in almost two years for the region’s robotics experts to meet face to face. “We were encouraged at the […]
Whether creating unique store concepts, futuristic concrete stairs and modern building facades, Dutch architectural design company Aectual produces very special architectural projects with the help of its robot-driven XXL 3D printer. For reliable ‘lights-out’ robot operation, the designers opted for highly flexible chainflex cables in a triflex R energy chain with a pneumatic retraction system. […]
Oakmount Control Systems is utilising the benefits of two FlexiBowl parts feeders and two Shibaura SCARA robots – both supplied by RARUK Automation – as part of an automated system that assembles plastic badges for a leading badge maker in Cornwall. The system, which has replaced manual assembly operations, can run 24 hours a day […]
Franco-American start-up Fuzzy Logic announces a €2.5 million seed round of financing from two European DeepTech funds: 42CAP, an industry-specialized German fund based in Munich, and Karista (via the Paris Region Venture Fund), an early-stage VC firm based in Paris. Fuzzy Logic, which originated in the French start-up ecosystem (Agoranov and Wilco), is developing an […]
Could Britain afford to lose 6.3 million working days? According to The Labour Force Survey, this figure illustrates the volume of unplanned worker absence due to non-fatal workplace injuries. In fact, the number of non-fatal workplace injuries in the UK reached 693,000 in 2019/20, with cuts and lacerations among the most common causes. Industry leader […]
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 […]
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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Automation and robotics in food manufacturing
At Food Manufacturing Live, Jake Norman, managing director at OAL, discusses applications for robotics in food factories to automate the likes of pick and place operations, palletising, case packing and other areas. He highlights the picking of fresh fruit, with a particular demonstration on the stand showing a robot picking up oranges. “We work with […]
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 […]
Automation helps revolutionise medical device manufacturing
The world created by Industry 4.0 technologies is all about flexible and agile just-in-time manufacturing. These technologies allow companies to effectively address market variability and customer demand by supporting a high level of complexity and customisation as well as delivering the right volume of products at all times. The latter being particularly beneficial to medical […]