Fold it, seal it, tape it, box it, pick it, place it – automate it. No, these aren’t Daft Punk lyrics, but the separate processes that Finland-based Orfer Oy needed to automate to speed up its packaging operations. However, automating these processes without expanding on factory floor space was no easy feat. For a new […]
Fanuc UK’s managing director, Tom Bouchier, has called on businesses across the UK to work together to improve productivity and global competitivity during a keynote speech at Fanuc’s UK facility in Ansty Park, Coventry, on Thursday 16th March. Speaking at the event, Mr. Bouchier said: “As a nation, our manufacturing output is consistently behind other […]
IDS Imaging Development Systems now offers the modular Ensenso X 3D camera system with high-resolution 5 MP industrial cameras featuring the IMX264 CMOS Sony sensor. Compared to the currently available 1.3 MP sensors, they allow for an expanded field of view, higher resolution and lower noise levels. As always, the models of the 3D camera […]
The term ‘low-cost robotics’ refers to the rapid growth of robotic production enabled by simple and affordable automation components. Depending on the scope of the application, entire processes can be automated. To demonstrate how this can be achieved, Igus has combined its robolink, drylin E and energy chain technologies to produce a multi-axis articulated pick […]
A new laser guided smart welding camera for robots that aims to improve weld quality and reduce production costs is being introduced into the UK market. The new FUJI-CAM smart welding camera is being launched in the UK by Cyber-Weld, Fanuc’s strategic arc welding systems supplier. The product will be available exclusively to the UK […]
What would smartphones be without apps? They would be ordinary mobile phones and surely far less versatile. With IDS NXT, camera manufacturer IDS applies the app principle to industrial image processing. Users benefit from the greatest possible flexibility: they can assign their required image processing task to vision app-based cameras and sensors according to their […]
Online sales show no sign of slowing and the growth is driving demand for fulfilment operations to pack and ship all those ordered goods. The work is repetitive, however, and requires high accuracy to reduce costly errors or returns. That means that jobs in picking and packaging items for shipping aren’t particularly desirable, especially in […]
At a price unrivalled by any other robot in its class, Acrovision is the first and sole UK distributor of the AUBO-i5 collaborative robot, from American/Chinese firm AUBO Robotics. The AUBO-i5 is an advanced, human friendly collaborative robot providing solutions for the small and medium manufacturing sectors. The AUBO-i5 collaborative robot has a 5kg payload […]
Fanuc UK has launched the latest, upgraded version of its intelligent 3D simulation software for robot motion control. ROBOGUIDE Version 9 can be used for pre-sale concept simulations, right through to a full offline programming package for use on the shop floor. It is suitable for both new, and experienced, robot users, and has several […]
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 […]
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 […]
Cobot completes one millionth PCB quality check
Hanover Displays, a UK-based manufacturer of passenger information systems for the public transport sector, has reached a major manufacturing milestone: the completion of its 1,000,000th automated quality test of printed circuit boards (PCBs) using Techman collaborative robots from LG Motion. The automation programme began in 2018, when Hanover introduced its first collaborative robot to improve […]
UR and Scale AI launch imitation learning system
Universal Robots (UR) unveiled the UR AI Trainer at GTC 2026 in Silicon Valley. Developed in collaboration with Scale AI, the AI Trainer marks a tectonic shift as robots move from pre-programmed applications to fully AI-driven tasks. These systems are powered by robust data generated in AI training cells where robots imitate humans. “Our customers, ranging from […]
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 […]
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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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 […]
Brillopak and Omron highlight smarter factories
In food produce environments and packhouses, the benefits of automation when it comes to workforce health and safety are uncontended. From eliminating arduous and repetitive tasks to working uninterrupted within inhospitable chilled settings, robots are most certainly the future. Case loading specialist Brillopak and industrial automation pioneer Omron explore how smart robots, hardware and software […]