Robotics World articles from May 2000

Robotics World archives from May 2000

After Strong 1999, Basic Drivers Remain for Continued Growth in Robotics Industry.
May 1, 2000... Last month, the Robotics Industries Association announced that orders and sales of robots had reached milestones worth noting. First, orders rose to the highest levels in history, making the U.S. market for industrial robots the hottest...

Letter to the Editor.
May 1, 2000... I fail to understand the logic of Mr. Potok's editorial and congressional letter. First, he credits the competitive market that benefits from the competitive advantage that robotics provides. Then he gives ample credit to Joe Engelberger...

RIA Launches Robotics Online.
May 1, 2000... The Robotic Industries Association has launched an online resource for robotics information, Robotics Online, at www.roboticsonline.com. Visitors can browse articles, technical papers, case studies and a listing of vendors in a variety of...

Robotics Industry Posts Records in 1999.
May 1, 2000... Industrial robot orders grew 60 percent in 1999 as the industry enjoyed its best year ever, according to statistics from RIA. Net new orders for the year totaled 17,591 robots valued at $1.4 billion, fueled by huge gains in orders for...

Agenda Set for Robots 2000.
May 1, 2000... Robots 2000 is a new RIA-sponsored conference designed for both corporate managers and manufacturing managers at companies that are current or prospective robot users. It will be held June 13-14 in Novi, Mich. The conference sessions are set up...

Get a Free 2000 Robotics Industry Directory.
May 1, 2000... The 2000 Robotics Industry Directory will be released at the Robots 2000 Conference in June. This year's directory includes nearly 200 company profiles of major suppliers of robotics and peripheral equipment and services. The directory also...

Use of Machine Vision Soars.
May 1, 2000... Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Use of machine vision in North America soared 29.3 percent in 1999, according to a new study released by the Automated Imaging Association. The gains were fueled by large increases in vision use by customers in the...

Nello Zuech Receives 2000 AIA Award.
May 1, 2000... Nello Zuech, president of Vision Systems International Inc., was presented by the Automated Imaging Association with the 2000 Automated Imaging Achievement Award at the AIA Business Conference in February. The award honors industry leaders for...

Creativity Abounds at Student Robotics Challenge.
May 1, 2000... The 14th annual RI/SME Student Robotic Challenge at Robert Morris College in Pennsylvania recently drew 800 students on 230 teams representing 58 schools from 12 states. Sponsored by Robotics International of the Society of Manufacturing...

Cable Company Opens Doors in U.S.
May 1, 2000... East Brunswick, N.J. -- SAB Cable Works, LLC, the newest wire and cable company in the United States, recently opened for business at its U.S. headquarters and distribution center in East Brunswick, N.J. SAB Cable Works is a specialty cable...

CRS, KUKA Enter Partnership.
May 1, 2000... Burlington, Ontario -- CRS Robotics Corp. and KUKA Roboter GmbH plan to cooperate in the development and marketing of industrial robots. The partnership initially involves the joint development and marketing of a 3 kg robot, the KR 3. It...

Shell Test-Markets Robotic Gas Pump.
May 1, 2000... Westfield, Ind. -- Shell Oil Co. began test-marketing its robotic fuel pump in this Indianapolis suburb after eight years of development. More than 1,000 customers have already signed up to use the pumps at the handful of stations where they...

Keller Technology Honored by Boeing, Northrop Grumman.
May 1, 2000... Charlotte, N.C. -- The Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman recently presented the Keller Technology Corp. with an award of excellence for its efforts to reduce F-22 avionics costs and cycle time. Keller Technology manufactured and integrated a...

Key Technology to Acquire Advanced Machine Vision.
May 1, 2000... Walla Walla, Wash. -- Key Technology Inc. has signed a definitive agreement and plan of merger with Advanced Machine Vision Corp. AMVC is composed of two subsidiaries: SRC VISION Inc., which designs and manufactures machine-vision systems...

Embedded Systems Day a New Feature at Design Automation Conference.
May 1, 2000... Boulder, Colo. -- A day devoted to embedded systems, which includes a panel of top executives from major embedded systems companies and an expanded embedded systems conference program, is among the new features slated for the 37th annual Design...

Computer Motion Receives Two Patents.
May 1, 2000... Santa Barbara, Calif. -- Computer Motion Inc. has received two new broad-based patents, which brings its total to 21 issued patents and 50 patents pending. One of the new patents gives Computer Motion ownership of the concept of using...

Robotics Software Brings Solutions to Factory Floor.
May 1, 2000... San Antonio -- A new generation of simulation and offline programming is bringing needed solutions to the U.S. industrial robotics market, according to the new strategic research by Frost & Sullivan, "U.S. Industrial Robotics Simulation and...

Cognex Acquires Machine Vision Business of Komatsu.
May 1, 2000... Natick, Mass. -- Cognex Corp. has signed an agreement to purchase the machine-vision business of Komatsu Ltd., a Japanese manufacturer of electronics and industrial equipment, and one of the largest suppliers of machine-vision systems to...

First Pediatric Heart Surgeries Performed with Robotic Assistance.
May 1, 2000... Santa Barbara, Calif. -- Computer Motion Inc. announced the completion of the world's first series of pediatric cardiac procedures using robotic assistance. Dr. Francois Laborde, chief of Cardiac Surgery at L'Institut Mutualiste Montsouris...

People.
May 1, 2000... John Dulchinos has been promoted to vice president of North American sales for Adept Technology Inc., and Michael Overby has been named vice president and chief financial officer.... Computer Motion Inc. has named Gordon Rogers as its chief...

IMET 2000 Offers New Show Lineup and Internet Focus.
May 1, 2000... Exton, Pa. -- IMET 2000, the International Manufacturing Enterprise Technology Expo & Conference will focus on the impact of the Internet on manufacturing in both the conference and expo this year. While the four component shows will...

Nachi RoboticSystems.
May 1, 2000... Nachi RoboticSystems recently was certified to QS 9000 with the Tooling and Equipment Supplement, which includes the design, manufacture and service of robotic systems for automotive and general industries....

Stocker & Yale Inc.
May 1, 2000... Stocker & Yale Inc. has changed its name to StockerYale and has filed an application to be listed on the NASDAQ National Market.

Ford Motor Co.
May 1, 2000... Ford Motor Co. has presented the Q1 Award for supplier quality to Atlas Technologies Inc., a manufacturer and integrator.

Lasiris Inc.
May 1, 2000... StockerYale subsidiary Lasiris Inc. has signed an exclusive agreement with INO or the manufacture and sale of photosensitive optical fibers.

Spectrum Systems.
May 1, 2000... Spectrum Systems is the newest Southeast distributor of Mitsubishi robots.

Lincoln Electric Co.
May 1, 2000... The Lincoln Electric Co. has signed the Ransome Co. of Houston as an automatic systems integrator.

ABB Flexible Automation.
May 1, 2000... ABB Flexible Automation has entered into a strategic alliance to become an associate sponsor of the No.20 Visteon/Patrick Racing/Ford-Cosworth car driven by Roberto Moreno for the 2000 FedEx Championship Series season.

Item MB Kit Systems.
May 1, 2000... Item MB Kit Systems has relocated to a new 25,000-square-foot facility in Akron, Ohio, with plans to expand the facility an additional 25,000 square feet by the end of the year.

LinMot.
May 1, 2000... LinMot's line of industrial-grade linear motors has received clean-room certification by Germany's Fraunhofer Institute.

Conzzeta Holding AG.
May 1, 2000... Conzzeta Holding AG has acquired Swiss robotics company Robert Seckler AG, which makes industrial robots for tool machines and other manufacturing systems.

Kardex AG.
May 1, 2000... Kardex AG recently bought AFT Automatisierungs-und Foerdertechnik GmbH of Germany, which supplies assembly machines and robots for major carmakers and other companies

Dassault Systemes S.A.
May 1, 2000... Dassault Systemes S.A. has signed an agreement whereby Dassault Systemes acquires EAI-DELTA GmbH, a supplier of digital manufacturing solutions. The combination of EAI-DELTA, DENEB and SAFEWORK product lines will accelerate the execution of...

Cable Design Technologies Corp.
May 1, 2000... Cable Design Technologies Corp. has acquired Industria Tecnica Cavi, an Italian manufacturer of cables for telecommunications, robotics, data transmission, industrial and safety system uses.

Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc.
May 1, 2000... Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc. has completed its acquisition of C.I.E.E. S.P.A., a leading welding consumables manufacturer based in Itlay.

Horner APG.
May 1, 2000... Horner APG has opened a new online automation store at www.hornerstore.com.

Amacoil Inc.
May 1, 2000... Amacoil Inc. has launched a new website at www.armacoil.com that allows OEM design engineers, MRO personnel and others with linear-motion applications to complete and submit sizing and specification forms for linear actuator systems online.

Anver.
May 1, 2000... Anver has upgraded its website at www.anver.com to provide detailed listings of the vacuum components used for building a variety of material-handling systems, including prices, technical specifications, drawings and material lists.

Applied Robotics, Inc.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Pam Billings 648 Saratoga Rd. Glenville, NY 12302 Phone: 518-384-1000 Fax: 518-384-1200 Email: info@arobotics.com Website: www.arobotics.com We offer tool changes that can handle up to 12,000 in-lbs;...

ATI Industrial Automation.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Catherine Morris 503-D Highway 70 East Garner, NC 27529 Phone: 919-772-0115 Fax: 919-772-8259 Email: catherine@ati-ia.com Website: www.ati-ia.com * Robotic Tool Changers * Robotic Deburring Tools *...

CIS Robotics Corporation.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Beath Steams 3070 Jefferson Blvd. Windsor, ONTARIO N8T 3G9 Phone: 519-948-6840 Fax: 519-974-0509 Email: info@cisrobotics.com Website: www.cisrobotics.com CIS Robotics is a globally based company...

Compucraft Ltd.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Nathan Naveh 14 Hailanot St. Kfar-Maas 49925 ISRAEL Phone: 011 972 3933 5534 Fax: 011 972 3933 5527 Email: info@CompucraftLtd.com Website: www.CompucraftLtd.com US Support: 1-877-659-9947 Compucraft...

Convum LLC.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Bill Pabst 811 Commercial Ct. Murfteesboro, TN 37129 Phone: 615-898-1942 Toll Free: 888-266-8221 Fax: 615-898-1981 Toll Free: 888-266-8223 Website: www.convumusa.com A leading manufacturer of vacuum...

DVT Corporation.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Michael Valverde 1670 Oakbrook Drive Suite 330 Norcross, GA 30093 Phone: 770-449-4960 Fax: 770-449-3073 The DVT Series 600 with Ethernet delivers vital information to key players in the manufacturing...

Electro-Tec Corp.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Amy Corner 1501 N. Main St. Blacksburg, VA 24060 Phone: 800-382-5366 Fax: 540-951-3832 Email: sales@electro-tec.com Website: www.kaydoncorp.com Electro-Tec Corp. is a leader in the electromechanical...

Elocab Tailor-Made Cables.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Irene Barber 258 McBrine Drive Kitchener, ONTARIO N2R 1H8 Phone: 519-893-1155 Fax: 519-893-2766 E-Mail: cables@elocab.ca Website: www.elocab.com Elocab's product line begins where standard cables end....

Flow Software Technologies.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Beth Stearns 3070 Jefferson Blvd. Windsor, ONTARIO N8T 3G9 Phone: 519-948-6027 Fax: 519-974-0509 Email: info@workspace5.com Website: www.workspace5.com Flow Software Technologies is the developer of...

Intelligent Actuator, Inc.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Ms. Harue Sakuma 2360 W. 205th St. Torrance, CA 90501 Phone: 310-320-3978 Fax: 310-320-4553 Email: iaila@intelligentactuator.com Website: www.intelligentactuator.com Our lines of products were designed...

JR3.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Wayne Johnson 22 Harter Avenue, Suite 1 Woodland, CA 95776 Phone: 530-661-3677 Website: www.jr3.com Fax: 530-661-3701 JR3 offers 6-axis force-torque sensors with load capacities from 3 to 1,350 lb force and...

Kawasaki Robotics USA, Inc.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Jim Stawski 28059 Center Oaks Ct. Wixom, MI 48393 Phone: 248-305-7610 Fax: 248-305-7618 Email: JIMS@KRI-US.COM Website: WWW.KAWASAKIROBOT.COM Manufacturers of industrial robots and modular welding...

KUKA Robotics Corporation.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Anne Ruby 6600 Center Dr. Sterling Heights, MI 48312 Phone: 810-795-2000 Fax: 810-795-4871 Email: info@kukausa.com Website: www.kukausa.com Since building its first industrial robot in 1977, KUKA has earned an...

MEKAnize Robots, Inc.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Greg Kangiser, Sales Manager 975 Elkton Dr. Colorado Springs, CO 80907 Phone: 800-482-1834, 719-598-3555 Fax: 719-548-9277 Email: MEKAnize@MEKAnize.com Website: www.MEKAnize.com MEKAnize Robots is a U. S. company...

Miller Edge.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Tim Castello P. O. Box 159 West Grove, PA 19390 Phone: 800-220-EDGE Fax: 610-869-4423 Email: tcastello@mrneredge.com Website: www.milleredge.com Miller Edge is one of the leading North American manufacturers...

Motoman.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Sally Fairchild 805 Liberty Lane West Carrollton, OH 45449 Phone: 937-847-3202 Fax: 937-847-3288 Website: www.motoman.com Motoman provides robotic solutions for a variety of applications. These include arc...

Multi-Contact USA.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Jon Thompson 5560 Skylane Blvd. Santa Rosa, CA 95403 Phone: 707-575-7575 Fax: 707-575-7373 Email: mailbox@multi-contact-usa.com Website: www.multi-contact-usa.com Precision electrical & electronic...

Pilz.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Lynn M. Higgins 24850 Drake Rd. Farmington Hills, MI 48335 Phone: 248-473-1133 Fax: 248-473-3997 Email: Ihiggins@pilzusa.com Website: www.pilzusa.com Pilz was founded in 1948 as a glass blowing business...

Rexroth Star.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Margaret Cox 14001 South Lakes Drive Charlotte, NC 28273 Phone: 704-583-4338 Fax: 704-583-0523 A complete line of Linear Motion Products, including Ball Rail Linear Guides, High Precision Ball Screws, Linear...

Schmalz, Inc.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Kevin Saylor or Tom Reek 7711-109 Welborn St. Raleigh, NC 27615 Phone: 919-713-0883 Fax: 919-713-0883 Email: schmalzinc@aol.com Website: www.schmalzinc.com Schmalz is a leading supplier of vacuum components...

Schunk, Inc.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Gripping Systems 211 Kitty Hawk Drive Morrisville, NC 27560 Phone: 919-572-2705 Fax: 919-572-2818 A comprehensive gripper program with forces ranging from 12.5 oz. to 11,250 lbs. Compact rugged swivel units with...

SICK, Inc.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Michael Hudson 6900W. 110th Street Bloomington, MN 55438 Phone: 800-325-7425,952-941-6780 Fax: 952-941-9287 Email: info@sickoptic.com Website: www.sickoptic.com SICK, Inc., the originator of the safety...

TAPESWITCH CORPORATION.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Customer Service/Sales Technical Support Department 100 Schmitt Boulevard Farmingdale, NY 11735 Phone: 613-630-0442 Fax: 613-630-0454 TAPESWTICH CORPORATION designs and manufactures innovative sensing,...

TREGASKISS LIMITED.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Ken Pratt, V.P. Sales & Marketing 2570 North Talbot Rd. Windsor, ONTARIO N0R 1L0 Phone 800-787-6966 Fax: 800-787-1530 Email: kpratt@toughgun.com Website: www.toughgun.com Manufacturers of the dependable...

Versatile Machine & Tool Mfg. Co. Ltd.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Christine Bradshaw 2925 Deziel Dr. Windsor, ON N8W 5A5 Phone: 519-945-5600 Fax: 519-945-5960 Email: vmt@netcom.ca Website: www.versatilemachine.com Complete machining services including CNC Machining,...

Yamaha Robotics.
May 1, 2000... Contact: Doug Dalgliesh 5123 West Chester Pike P.O.Box 937 Edgemont, PA 19028 Phone: 610-325-9940 Fax: 610-325-9946 Email: doug@yamaharobotics.com Website: www.yamaharobotics.com Classification/Product Type:...

Load 'Em Up.
May 1, 2000... Four Decades After First Robotic Application, Robots Are Still Workhorses in Machine Loading and Unloading Thirty-nine years ago, a robot made by Unimation was put to work unloading a die-casting machine in a General Motors plant, a...

Drawing a Bead on a Market with Potential.
May 1, 2000... Robotic Dispensing Systems Provide Consistency and High Quality While the robotics industry is continuing to grow aggressively and expanding rapidly in such applications as material handling, the use of robotics in dispensing and coating...

Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold.
May 1, 2000... Importance of Temperature Control in Robotic Dispensing Applications Cannot Be Overstated There are few industries where the use of robotically dispensed materials has grown as fast, or been elevated to such an art, as in the automotive...

Beyond the 'Soft Belly' of Manufacturing.
May 1, 2000... Robots Making Inroad in Service Activities Is there life for robotics beyond manufacturing? Yes, indeed! One can argue that manufacturing was just the "soft belly" of opportunity for robotics. Service activities offer more potential...

DVT's FRAMEWORK 2.0.
May 1, 2000... DVT's latest software release for Smart-Image Sensors is FrameWork 2.0, a Windows-based package that operates in an open-systems environment. New tools include SmartImage Sensor Emulator, which allows use of the FrameWork 2.0 user interface...

COGNEX MACHINE-VISION SENSOR.
May 1, 2000... Cognex Corp. has introduced the In-Sight 2000, a machine-vision sensor that uses a spreadsheet for configuring vision applications. The spreadsheet, which eliminates the need for complex programming or an external PC for setup, enables users to...

DOLAN-JENNER ILLUMINATOR.
May 1, 2000... Dolan-Jenner's redesigned Fiber-Lite A-240 fiber-optic illuminator features lamp modules controlled via a remote power supply, which is useful in machine-vision applications where the light source is mounted into a machine or onto a robotic...

RVSI AUTOMATIC ID TOOLS.
May 1, 2000... Robotic Vision Systems Inc. has introduced the Visionscape 2640 vision-processor board, a complete vision system in a single PCI slot allowing inspection and identification tasks to be run independently of the host PC. Processing flexibility is...

STOCKERYALE DIGITAL ILLUMINATOR.
May 1, 2000... StockerYale has introduced Stabilite, a high-intensity; fiber-optic illuminator that provides shadow-free, cool illumination for machine-vision applications where regulated light intensity is essential. The Stabilite provides light-output...

PANASONIC COLOR MICROCAMERA.
May 1, 2000... Panasonic Industrial/Medical Group offers a color microcamera with a high-density CCD to produce high-resolution images. The Digital Signal Processing GPKS1000 Color Microcamera has a 900,000 pixel CCD and features that make it ideal for...

MATROX IMAGING PLATORM.
May 1, 2000... Matrox Imaging's Matrox 4Sight is a compact imaging platform in which image capture, processing and display, along with networking and general purpose I/O, are integrated into a small package. An Intel x86-compatible processor with MMX...

SONY 3-CCD CAMERA.
May 1, 2000... Sony Electronics' Broadcast & Professional Co. has introduced the smallest and lightest one-piece 3-CCD color video camera in its class. The DXC-390 is ideal for color inspection applications with its broadcast-level 800 lines of resolution,...

ISRA ROBOT GUIDANCE SYSTEM.
May 1, 2000... Intelligent Systems Robotics and Automation offers the ORIS Turn-Key Robot Guidance System, which combines part recognition, position and placement determination in a flexible and scaleable image-processing system in the Windows NT environment....

LASIRIS LASER SERIES.
May 1, 2000... Lasiris recently introduced the MFL Series of laser products, which can produce lines as thin as 9 microns at a precise working distance and is designed for applications where utmost accuracy and precision are required. MFL lasers use Lasiris'...

CIDTEC ULTRAVIOLET CAMERA.
May 1, 2000... CIDTEC has introduced a new high-gain/fast-gate, UV-sensitive intensified video camera, designed for scientific and image-processing markets where response below 400 nm is required. The camera is available in RS-170, CCIR or progressive-scan...

FORESIGHT FRAME GRABBER.
May 1, 2000... Foresight Imaging's I-Color frame grabber and video streamer is the newest member of the I-Series of imaging boards. I-Color accepts up to four video inputs from several video sources and formats. It supports 120+ MB/second sustained PCI bus...

HEXAVISION HEXSIGHT SOFTWARE.
May 1, 2000... HexaVision Technologies' HexSight version 2.0 is a true geometric object location software that offers high tolerance to occlusions, shading, low contrast and poor edges. A locator tool provides high accuracy regardless of orientation and...

LUMITEX LIGHTING SYSTEM.
May 1, 2000... Lumitex Inc. has introduced light-weight panels that provide bright, uniform back lighting for machine-vision systems. The Lumitex panels are made from woven optical fibers, and the result is heat-free, shadowless light that is uniformly bright...

ILLUMINATION TECHNOLOGIES' LIGHTSET.
May 1, 2000... Illumination Technologies recently released LightSet 4.0 software, which provides a graphical interface that minimizes serial communications setup time with its family of industrial and laboratory light sources. LightSet 4.0 for Windows...

VISION COMPONENTS CAMERA.
May 1, 2000... Vision Components has introduced its new VC65/C color industrial smart camera, a complete machine-vision system that features 24-bit RGB color capabilities and a progressive scan sensor. It also includes up to eight megabytes of RAM, two...