Robotics World articles from January 2002

Robotics World archives from January 2002

Despite tough times, robotics industry fundamentally strong. (From the Editor).
January 1, 2002... Rob Spencer The robotics industry was not immune to the travails of 2001. Through September 2001, North American robot manufacturers that are members of the Robotics Industries Association posted new orders to North American customers...

Paralyzed patients walk on robotic treadmill. (News).
January 1, 2002... Chicago -- A revolutionary technology and robotic device that may help people with paralysis to walk again was unveiled for the first time in the United States at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago by Dr. David Chen, medical director of...

Friction Stir welding company formed. (News).
January 1, 2002... Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Friction Stir link inc. is a new integration company that specializes in developing and validating the friction stir welding process for applications ranging from automotive to aerospace to boat building. ...

People.
January 1, 2002... Tom Helzerman, who retired from Ford Motor Co. last year and was consulting to the robotics industry through The Ariel Group, has been named president of Robotic Workspace Technologies. Walt Weisel remains chairman and CEO of the company.......

RPT opens Process Solutions Center in Michigan. (News).
January 1, 2002... Auburn Hills, Mich. -- Robotic Production Technology Inc. has moved into a new 94,000-square-foot manufacturing facility that houses a new Process Solutions Center, where the company develops and verifies robotic applications. Subsequent...

Automation Ltd. (Quick Takes).
January 1, 2002... Automation Ltd. has expanded into Europe with the opening of a sales and distribution facility in Karlsruhe, Germany.

Lincoln Electric Co. (Quick Takes).
January 1, 2002... Lincoln Electric Co. has established a new service parts business and has dedicated a 70,000-square-foot Service Parts Center that will house more than 15,000 part numbers.

Automated Cells & Equipment Inc. (Quick Takes).
January 1, 2002... Automated Cells & Equipment Inc. recently completed requirements to become a FANUC Robotics certified servicing integrator.

Electroglas Inc. (Quick Takes).
January 1, 2002... Electroglas Inc. has formed a new software division, EG Soft, which is entering the market with an integrated portfolio of software products to help semiconductor manufacturers improve throughput and yield.

Genmark Automation Inc. (Quick Takes).
January 1, 2002... Genmark Automation Inc. has been issued a sequential U.S. patent for a robot having independent end-effector linkage motion, the GPR-SM, which is used in wafer handling.

Berkeley Process Control Inc. (Quick Takes).
January 1, 2002... Berkeley Process Control Inc. has been issued its third U.S. patent for Auto-calibration technology. The patent describes the company's Self-Teaching Robotic Carrier Handling System.

Danfoss Drives. (Quick Takes).
January 1, 2002... Danfoss Drives has moved into a new 124,000-square-foot office, testing and assembly facility in Loves Park, Ill.

Omron Electronics LLC. (Quick Takes).
January 1, 2002... Omron Electronics LLC has formed a partnership with CCS America Inc. to solve users' lighting problems for a complete machine-vision application solution. In addition, Omron's Systems Integration group has been named an Intellution System...

Elocab. (Websites).
January 1, 2002... Canadian cablemaker elocab has relaunched its website (www.elocab.ca) by adding new features to its online storefront, including a conversion calculator that translates conductor sizes from AWG to metric (and vice versa), a redefined...

Delmia. (Websites).
January 1, 2002... Delmia has added a new password-protected customer support section to its website at www.delmia.com.

Teradyne Inc. has completed its acquisition of GenRad Inc. (Mergers/Acquistions).
January 1, 2002... Teradyne Inc. has completed its acquisition of GenRad Inc. GenRad operations are being integrated with Teradyne's Assembly Test Division, and will operate under the Teradyne name. The division will be managed by ATD president Robert Dutkowsky...

Elwood Corp. has purchased the assets of Gettys. (Mergers/Acquistions).
January 1, 2002... Elwood Corp. has purchased the assets of Gettys, formerly API Gettys, which will continue to manufacture and promote the line of motors.

Scientific Technologies Inc. has acquired all outstanding stock of Dunn Sales Inc. (Mergers/Acquistions).
January 1, 2002... Scientific Technologies Inc. has acquired all outstanding stock of Dunn Sales Inc., which offers both safety and machinery services. DSI will be a subsidiary of STI, with DSI founder Garry Dunn continuing as president.

Reko Automation & Machine Tool Inc. of Windsor, Ontario, has signed a formal M.I.T. agreement with Motoman Inc. (Agreements).
January 1, 2002... Reko Automation & Machine Tool Inc. of Windsor, Ontario, has signed a formal M.I.T. agreement with Motoman Inc., making the company a recognized third-party integrator of Motoman robots.

Adept Technology Inc. has signed an OEM agreement with Shibuya Kyogo. (Agreements).
January 1, 2002... Adept Technology Inc. has signed an OEM agreement with Shibuya Kyogo of Japan, through which the companies will develop new high-precision photonic assembly solutions.

BOC Gases, a global manufacturer and marketer of industrial gases, has signed a distribution agreement with Motoman Inc. (Agreements).
January 1, 2002... BOC Gases, a global manufacturer and marketer of industrial gases, has signed a distribution agreement with Motoman Inc., which grants BOC Automation exclusive rights to sell Motoman's line of WorldLite solutions in selected areas in the United...

Integrated Surgical Systems Inc. has signed an agreement with DePuy International Ltd. (Agreements).
January 1, 2002... Integrated Surgical Systems Inc. has signed an agreement with DePuy International Ltd. to develop ROBODOC software for DePuy's hip and knee prostheses.

Braintech Inc. has signed an agreement with Oxford Sensor Technologies. (Agreements).
January 1, 2002... Braintech Inc. has signed an agreement with Oxford Sensor Technologies of the United Kingdom to establish a framework for further developing and integrating vision- and sensor-guided robotic solutions for the automotive sector.

Rockwell Automation and Wind River Systems Inc. have signed an agreement to integrate EtherNet/Industrial Protocol. (Agreements).
January 1, 2002... Rockwell Automation and Wind River Systems Inc. have signed an agreement to integrate EtherNet/Industrial Protocol technology based on Rockwell Automation's EtherNet/IP Master Library and Wind River's Tornado for Industrial Automation...

Smith & Nephew has signed an orthopedics agreement with URS Ortho GmbH & Co. KG. (Agreements).
January 1, 2002... Smith & Nephew has signed an orthopedics agreement with URS Ortho GmbH & Co. KG to develop software that will allow surgeons to use computer-assisted surgical planning and robotics (CASPAR) technology when implanting Smith & Nephew knee...

RIA offers early-bird membership special. (RIA Update).
January 1, 2002... User companies that start a new corporate membership in the Robotics Industries Association by March 1, 2002, will receive $150 off Gold or Platinum level membership (regularly $500 and $1,000, respectively). You may have heard of some of our...

Despite economic downturn, RIA continues to grow. (RIA Update).
January 1, 2002... Membership in the RIA stands at 260, up slightly over last year. "Companies involved in robotics recognize that the tangible benefits provided by RIA far outweigh the membership dues, which is why our membership has continued to grow...

2002 unwrapped: A peek at upcoming RIA activities. (RIA Update).
January 1, 2002... Each year, RIA invests heavily in events and activities to help grow the industry and to help members grow their business. A mainstay of association activities includes key networking events like the Robotics Industry Forum, already planned for...

AIA Business Conference set for March 6-8. (RIA Update).
January 1, 2002... The 10th Annual Automated Imaging Association Business Conference will be held March 6-8,2002, at The Regent in Las Vegas, Nev. "In the past decade, the AIA Business Conference has become the industry's leading networking event, attracting...

Vision Show West set for Nov. 19-21. (RIA Update).
January 1, 2002... The Vision Show West, the machine-vision industry's leading event, will take place Nov. 19-21, 2002, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, Calif., according to the Automated Imaging Association. Alternating between the east...

RI/SME's Robotics Tech Trends 2001 available. (RI/SME Update).
January 1, 2002... Robotics International of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers has updated its Robotics Tech Trends for 2001. The last Tech Trends was published in 1999. The following is the executive summary from the report. The full report is available...

Robotic welding material handling improve quality in auto industry.
January 1, 2002... To day's car buyers expect quality, not only in performance and reliability but also in the aesthetics of their vehicles. "Customers look for reliability and a good-looking product," said Wilfried Eberhardt, vice president of sales and...

Robert makers take industrial approach to automating laboratories.
January 1, 2002... Automation isn't new in laboratories and even robots have been used in labs since the 1980s, but it has been only in past few years that industrial robot manufacturers have started making a case for an industrial approach to automating such lab...

Robotics case studies.
January 1, 2002... VISION-GUIDED MATERIAL HANDLING By implementing a machine-vision system from Cognex equipped with Pat-Max geometric pattern-matching software, Modgal Corp. (Golan Heights, Israel) has greatly improved its robotic part-loading process of...

Panasonic's DTPS II. (Component Spotlight: Simulation/OLP).
January 1, 2002... Panasonic Factory Automation's second-generation programming and simulation software, DTPS II, enables fast 3-D desktop graphical programming of two Panasonic robots and 12 external axes. Using the same language as the robot, DTPS II duplicates...

Flow Software's Workspace 5. (Component Spotlight: Simulation/OLP).
January 1, 2002... Flow Software Technologies has added new features to Workspace 5.1, which works on multiple robotic platforms for offline programming and robot language verification. Languages include ABB's Rapid, Motoman's Inform II, OTC Daihen, Allen Bradley...

Compucraft's RobotWorks. (Component Spotlight: Simulation/OLP).
January 1, 2002... Compucraft Ltds RobotWorks, a robotics interface for SolidWorks, is a CNC-style program for robotic simulation and offline programming. RobotWorks provides functionality for every designer using SolidWorks, in one interactive environment for...

General Cybernetics' ROBCON. (Component Spotlight: Simulation/OLP).
January 1, 2002... General Cybernetics offers Internet-ready, PC-based ROBCON online/offline control and simulation software platform. Users can model, simulate and execute any mechanism, workcell or process. The package runs under Windows 98/2000 and can operate...

Simulation/OLP Services. (Component Spotlight: Simulation/OLP).
January 1, 2002... Argus & Associates Inc. supports a range of industries with simulation, offline programming and robotic services. With an extensive background in manufacturing processes, robotics, simulation analysis and CAD packages, Argus is able to meet...

Tecnomatix's eMPower. (Component Spotlight: Simulation/OLP).
January 1, 2002... Tecnomatix's eMPower suite includes an array of robot simulation and OLP software: eM-Assembler; eM-Spot for spot-welding processes; eM-Paint, which creates painting paths for painting robots; eM-Arc for arc-welding processes; and eM-OLP, which...

Cimetrix's CIMulation. (Component Spotlight: Simulation/OLP).
January 1, 2002... Cimetrix Inc.'s CIMulation is the offline development and simulation component of CODE that provides 3-D solid-model simulation of automated machines and workcells. Perhaps the most important benefit of CODE is that it can dramatically reduce...

Motoman's MotoSim. (Component Spotlight: Simulation/OLP).
January 1, 2002... Motoman's Version 6.2 release of its PC-based simulation software has been renamed MotoSim, which replaces ROTSY. The 3D graphics robotic simulation package reduces programming time, which increases equipment uptime. New parts can be programmed...

Adept Digital Workcell. (Component Spotlight: Simulation/OLP).
January 1, 2002... The Adept Digital Workcell is a 3-D virtual robot and cell simulator focusing on small-parts assembly and material-handling applications. Using AdeptWindows PC software, users can program virtual workcells using native AIM and V+; execute...

Delmia's IGRIP and Ultra. (Component Spotlight: Simulation/OLP).
January 1, 2002... Delmia Corp.'s IGRIP and Ultra products are robotic simulation tools for design, evaluation and offline programming of robotic workcells. Incorporating real-world robotic and peripheral equipment, motion attributes and kinematics, IGRIP and...

CRS Robotics' ActiveRobot. (Component Spotlight: Simulation/OLP).
January 1, 2002... CRS Robotics' ActiveRobot allows complete robot programming in Windows environments, and its new component, ActiveRobot Simulator, opens a new window into offline simulation for educational environments. It allows users to program and simulate...

FANUC'S SimPRO. (Component Spotlight: Simulation/OLP).
January 1, 2002... FANUC Robotics North America has introduced new robot simulation software, SimPRO, which allows users to import unique CAD models of parts, create a workcell including machines, part transfer devices and obstacles, and teach robot paths to...

Lincoln Electric's WinOLPC. (Component Spotlight: Simulation/OLP).
January 1, 2002... The Lincoln Electric Co's WinOLPC is a robot program designed for FANUC RJ3 robots. The software enables the development of KAREL or teach pendant programs offline on a PC, and users can write applications before robot installation or leave...

Dynalog's Calibration System. (Component Spotlight: Simulation/OLP).
January 1, 2002... Dynalog Inc. provides a link between the virtual world and the real factory with a robot cell calibration system. Robotic simulation and offline programmers know the value of their software tools, but they also know about a common limitation;...

Hollow-Wrist Robots. (Products).
January 1, 2002... ComauPico recently introduced the fully integrated SMART H family of robots to the NAFTA market. The newest member of the family is the SMART H4 hollow-wrist robot, which features the spot-welding dressing (air and water hoses, signal and power...

Intelligent Lift Device. (Products).
January 1, 2002... Cobotics Inc. has introduced the iLift, a lifting and balancing system for load movement in assembly and material-handling environments. Operators can manipulate loads in exceptionally fast cycle times, while applying just over 2 pounds of...

Robotic I/O Connectors. (Products).
January 1, 2002... Molex Inc. offers a new connector system that provides a compact I/O interface for smaller robots and other motor-driven industrial equipment. The new CRC shielded I/O connector system includes wire-to-panel and wire-to-wire versions. Molex...

Web-Enabled Vision. (Products).
January 1, 2002... DVT Corp. has added web-enabled diagnostics/application sharing, DOC, to its line of Ethernet-ready machine-vision systems, SmartImage Sensors. This new feature is available to any user using DVT's machine-vision software, FrameWork. Through...

Electromechanical Cylinders. (Products).
January 1, 2002... The Robo Cylinder for Intelligent Actuator Inc. is an electromechanical alternative to pneumatic cylinders and is designed to accomplish the simple tasks usually assigned to air cylinders, but with greater flexibility and lower operating costs....

500-Kg Robot. (Products).
January 1, 2002... KUKA Robotics now offers a six-axis robot in the 500-kg payload category. The KR 500 is a systematic upgrade of the KR350, which three years ago was KUKA's first step in the direction of high payloads. When used in an automotive body shop, the...

Mini-Link Connectors. (Products).
January 1, 2002... Remke Industries Inc. recently introduced a new line of Plastic Mini-Link Connectors. This new addition to the Tuff Link family of quick-disconnects features vibration-resistant couplers, an easy-grip design, enhanced keyway indicators and...

Screwdriving Robots. (Products).
January 1, 2002... Three new tabletop robots for light assembly have been introduced by ASG, a division of Jergens Inc. The robots are intended to provide an easy route to improve assembly productivity over hand or electric screwdrivers. They all use an ASG...

Waterjet-Cutting System. (Products).
January 1, 2002... Robotic Production Technology Inc., a designer and manufacturer of turnkey resources for the plastics industry, offers the Jet Tool waterjet-cutting system, designed to perform trimming operations at pressures up to 55,000 psi. The system is...