Robotics topics covered in the The Robot Report special issue inserted into the August 2018 issue of Design World include:   –  Automatica 2018 Review – What’s Hot and what’s not at Europe’s largest robotics and automation event.   –  Industrial Exoskeletons Arrive – Exoskeleton systems designed for industrial work are now available, and more…

Automatica 2018 was all about smart automation and robotics for a fast-changing industry. I visited Automatica in Munich, the leading exhibition for smart automation and robotics in Europe. This year, the trade fair had 890 exhibitors and more than 46.000 visitors. These are my main takeaways. For successful automation, robots must become more flexible, easier to…

With the collaborative robot market exploding, robotic grippers will be an area of growth and increasing competition. That was made abundantly clear at Automatica 2018 where new robotic grippers made quite a splash. While market growth has an impact on the amount of innovation taking place, Lasse Kieffer, CEO and co-founder of Purple Robotics, said…

Automatica 2018 was quite the success for Universal Robots. Not only did the Danish manufacturer of collaborative robot arms launch its next-generation e-Series and have a major presence throughout the exhibition halls, co-founder and CTO Esben Østergaard was named a winner of the 2018 Engelberger Robotics Award. Gudrun Litzenberger, General Secretary of the International Federation of Robotics,…

The third-generation ABB Foundry Prime robot (called the IRB 6790) is designed to withstand high-pressure waterjet cleaning applications and harsh industrial environments with 100% humidity. Different parts can be cleaned in the same cell with zero changeover time. The ABB Foundry Prime robot is IP69-rated for superior protection from water and dust … and reduces…

Automatica 2018 has come and gone. The leading conference about smart automation and robotics attracted 46,000 attendees and 890 exhibitors in Munich, both increases of 7 percent over the 2016 event. The next Automatica will take place June 16-19, 2020 in Munich, and we can’t wait to head back and see the innovations that continue…

Automatica 2018 is one of Europe’s largest robotics and automation-related trade shows and a destination for global roboticists and business executives to view new products. It was held June 19-22 in Munich and had 890 exhibitors and 46,000 visitors (up 7% from the previous show). The International Symposium on Robotics (ISR) was held in conjunction…

A FANUC industrial robot nonchalantly lifts a BMW SUV high into the air at Automatica 2018 – safely out of harms way, of course. Meanwhile, small industrial robots that fit in a backpack also wow attendees by performing precision tasks that are, let’s say, less exciting. It’s quite a contrast to see. ABB, Denso, Mecademic…

The Robotic Industries Association (RIA) last night at Automatica 2018 honored the two winners of the 2018 Engelberger Robotics Awards. Known as the “Nobel Prize” of robotics, this year’s awards went to Gudrun Litzenberger, General Secretary of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), and Esben Østergaard, CTO and co-founder of Universal Robots. Read our Q&A…

Worldwide industrial robot sales reached a record 380,550 units in 2017, the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) announced at Automatica 2018 in Munich. That’s a 29 percent increase over the 294,300 units sold in 2016. These are the initial findings of the IFR’s World Robotics Report 2018. Announced during the IFR CEO Round Table at…

Collaborative robots pioneer Universal Robots unveiled at Automatica 2018 its e-Series 6-axis cobot arms, the next generation of its flagship line. The company says the UR3e, UR5e, and UR10e offer more precision and sensitivity, enabling a wider range of applications, faster set up times and new safety features. Universal Robots, which has seen strong growth…

Copenhagen, Denmark-based startup Kassow Robots is having its coming out party at Automatica 2018, which takes place June 19-22 in Munich, Germany. Co-founded in 2014 by Kristian Kassow, the former co-founder of Universal Robots, the company is developing lightweight, 7-DOF collaborative robot arms that it hopes will penetrate an increasingly competitive market. Kassow Robots will…