Robotics World articles from November 1999

Robotics World archives from November 1999

Robot Standards Would Give Industry Better Footing to Flourish.
November 1, 1999... As one who is very interested in the advanced robotics research being conducted in the United States, I was more than a little frustrated to learn that the cause of failure of the most recent Mars robot exploratory mission was attributed to the...

Launches New Programs.
November 1, 1999... Throughout the robotics industry, companies continuously improve their products and services to stay competitive and better serve their customers. Robotics World is no different. The robotics industry deserves a high-quality magazine that...

Four Honored with Engelberger Awards.
November 1, 1999... The Robotic Industries Association presented the Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Awards, the industry's most prestigious honor, to four industry leaders at the 30th International Symposium on Robotics, Oct. 25-29, in Tokyo. The Engelberger...

Robot Orders Jump 80% in First Half of 1999.
November 1, 1999... Orders for industrial robots skyrocketed 80 percent in the first half of 1999 over the comparable period last year, putting the industry on pace for its best year ever, according to the Robotic Industries Association. Through June, a total...

RIA Develops New Robot Risk Assessment CD.
November 1, 1999... "Robot Risk Assessment" is a new CD at walks the user through the stages of a risk assessment following the guidelines set in the ANSI/RIA R15.06-1999 Robot Safety Standard. This easy-to-navigate program helps the user conduct a hazard analysis...

AIA Gears Up for 8th Annual Business Conference.
November 1, 1999... The Eighth Annual AIA Business Conference will be held Feb. 9-11, 2000, at the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel in Orlando, Fla. More than 200 leading machine-vision executives are expected to gather for the event. "The business conference has...

Abstracts Sought for Vision Show East.
November 1, 1999... In an effort to meet the growing demand for machine-vision products and information, AIA will sponsor The Vision Show East April 4-6, 2000, at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. More than 100 companies are expected to exhibit. "The use...

Industrial Robots Boom in Europe, U.S.
November 1, 1999... A new United Nations report notes that worldwide sales of industrial robots are booming and predicts a 43 percent increase in industrial robot sales in the United States from 1998 to 2002 and a 45 percent increase in Europe. But the...

Cimetrix Merges with SDI, Acquires Object Factory.
November 1, 1999... Salt Lake City--Cimetrix Inc. has signed an agreement to merge with Systematic Designs International Inc. of Vancouver, Wash. Both companies specialize in software products that enable the communication of data across the plant floor using the...

Schmalz Establishes North American Subsidiary.
November 1, 1999... Raleigh, N.C. -- J. Schmalz GmbH, a European manufacturer of vacuum components and vacuum handling systems, has established a North American subsidiary, Schmalz Inc., in Raleigh, N.C. Plans for the new subsidiary include a dedicated testing...

GE Fanuc to Acquire Whedco.
November 1, 1999... Charlottesville, Va.--GE Fanuc Automation North America Inc. has signed agreements to acquire Whedco Inc. of Ann Arbor, Mich.Whedco, a privately held company founded in 1979, designs, develops and markets servo and stepping motor control...

Zymark Acquires SCITEC Automation Holdings.
November 1, 1999... Hopkins, Mass. -- Zymark Corp., a supplier of laboratory automation and robotics solutions, has acquired SCITEC Automation Holdings SA, a Swiss-based custom systems integrator and manufacturer of specialty peripheral and accessories, primarily...

DENSO Named One of Best-Managed Companies.
November 1, 1999... Southfield, Mich. -- DENSO Corp., global corporate headquarters for DENSO International America, has been named one of the world's 100 Best-Managed Companies by Industry Week magazine on its fourth annual list. Each company was selected...

Adept Donation Creates New Teaching Tool at Cal Poly.
November 1, 1999... San Jose, Calif. -- Adept Technology Inc. has donated hardware and software to California Polytechnic State University to be used in the university's new Teaching Factory. The Teaching Factory uses production equipment, computer hardware...

Asyst Completes Acquisition of Palo Alto Technologies.
November 1, 1999... Fremont, Calif. -- Asyst Technologies Inc. has completed its acquisition of Palo Alto Technologies Inc. The acquisition marks Asyst's entry into wafer transport and further expands the company's role in the semiconductor fabrication automation...

Brooks Automation to Acquire AutoSimulations Inc., Auto-Soft Corp.
November 1, 1999... Chelmsford, Mass. -- Brooks Automation Inc. has signed a letter of intent to acquire both AutoSimulations Inc. and Auto-Soft Corp. from Daifuku America Corp., the U.S. affiliate of Daifuku Co. Ltd. of Japan. The proposed transaction would...

FANUC Robotics Honored by Crain's Detroit Business.
November 1, 1999... Rochester Hills, Mich. -- In its Sept. 6 issue, Crain's Detroit Business named FANUC Robotics North America Inc. as one of the best places to work in southeastern Michigan, one of 11 companies to receive this honor. Crain's contracted IRI...

Computer Motion Named to Fast-Growth List.
November 1, 1999... Santa Barbara, Calif. -- Computer Motion Inc. has been recognized by Deloitte & Touche as one of the fastest growing technology companies in the United States, based on revenue growth over the past five years. Computer Motion came in at...

Stocker & Yale Partners with Illumination Technologies.
November 1, 1999... Salem, N.H. -- Stocker & Yale Inc. and Illumination Technologies Inc. have signed a strategic partnership agreement. By coupling Stocker & Yale's fiber-optic technologies, manufacturing strengths and economies of scale with Illumination...

Asyst Technologies, MECS Form Alliance.
November 1, 1999... Tokyo -- Asyst Technologies Inc. has formed a strategic alliance with Nagoya-based MECS Corp., a Japanese supplier of robotic systems used to automate semiconductor and flat-panel display manufacturing tools. The two companies will...

Robotics World welcomes the members of its first Industry Advisory Board, which has been formed to help guide the magazine into the new millennium.
November 1, 1999... Doug Rhoda ABB Flexible Automation Inc. Doug Rhoda is vice president of marketing for ABB Flexible Automation's Manufacturing Industry and Robotics Group. He has been with ABB and the former ESAB Robotic Welding Division, an ABB...

ABB Wins Order from Postal Service.
November 1, 1999... Norwalk, Conn. -- ABB has received an order from the U.S. Postal Service for 100 robotic containerization systems worth more than $66 million. ABB gantry robots will be used to sort open and closed trays and tubs of mall, and to place them...

Genesis Systems Awarded Patent for Positioner.
November 1, 1999... Davenport, Iowa--Genesis Systems Group has been awarded a U.S. patent for its invention of the workpiece positioner featured on the Versa-System 4M robotics welding and cutting workcell. The positioner and assembly optimizes workpiece...

Yushin America Opens Training Facility.
November 1, 1999... Cranston, R.I. -- Yushin America Inc. now offers a training facility for its customers at the company's Cranston facility. The facility and program were designed around a three-year study of customer training requirements. The training area has...

Bircher America.
November 1, 1999... [MC.sup.2] has been named exclusive sales representative in Michigan for Bircher America's industrial safety products.

GenusTech.
November 1, 1999... GenusTech has established a website at www.genustech.com, which provides an overview of powered fixture tooling for positioning sheet metal in automated and robotic welding systems.

Barrett Technology.
November 1, 1999... Barrett Technology and Z-KAT Inc. have an exclusive license agreement giving Z-KAT the right to develop medical products based on WAM robotic-arm technology.

ATI Industrial Automation.
November 1, 1999... ATI Industrial Automation, formed when several employees of Lord Corp.'s Industrial Automation Division purchased the division, recently celebrated its 10th anniversary.

Applied Robotics.
November 1, 1999... Applied Robotics is now the exclusive distributor of Smartscan Inc.'s 5000 Series Light Curtains.

Micro MO Electronics.
November 1, 1999... Micro MO Electronics has launched a website at www.micromo.com, which allows visitors to view and download a variety of design engineering and motion-control materials.

Yushin Precision Equipment Co.
November 1, 1999... Yushin Precision Equipment Co. has achieved ISO 9001 certification.

Opticon Corp.
November 1, 1999... Opticon Corp. has been awarded ISO 9002 registration for the quality management systems used to manufacture its precision optics and optical components.

[greater than]SAS[less than] Automation Inc.
November 1, 1999... [greater than]SAS[less than] Automation Inc. has introduced a mobile end-of-arm tooling service, a traveling service team that is equipped to install, train and sell components on a manufacturer's production floor. In addition, the company has...

Servo-Robot Inc.
November 1, 1999... In an agreement with Servo-Robot Inc., Caterpillar Inc. will service systems designed for joint tracking, inspection and adaptive robotic welding for U.S.-based customers whose applications involve Servo-Robot products integrated with robots...

API Motion Inc.
November 1, 1999... API Motion Inc. now has exclusive marketing rights to praTECH GmbH's product lines of brushless linear servo motors, rotary direct drive brushless motors and electronic drives for the motors.

Alpha Wire Co.
November 1, 1999... Alpha Wire Co. has launched phase two of its website at www.alphawire.com, giving customers access to information on all of the company's products, including technical specifications and product finder guides.

Meikle Automation.
November 1, 1999... Meikle Automation has received registration for QS-9000 Tooling & Equipment Supplement.

PEOPLE.
November 1, 1999... Trellis Software & Controls has hired Rick Schoonover to lead its North American sales efforts.... Scott Mazzulla has been named regional sales manager for the southwestern United States for OTC Daihen Inc.... Brian O'Connell has been...

CORRECTIONS.
November 1, 1999... In the New Products section of the July/August directory issue, ATI Industrial Automation was incorrectly referred to as ATI interface in the item about the company's SW-150 robotic tool changer for transgun spot welding and heavy-duty material...

From Point A to Point B.
November 1, 1999... Robots Cover the Spectrum In Material Handling When products or parts aren't being assembled, welded, tooled, milled, molded or otherwise subjected to the manufacturing process, they're being moved around: from a conveyor to a process...

Robotic Systems Transform the Operating Room.
November 1, 1999... While surgeons have made huge strides in recent years to improve surgical techniques, the operating room itself remains underautomated. Devices and equipment have permeated the OR, but it has happened in the absence of an orderly framework. As...

To the Winner Go the Spoils.
November 1, 1999... Robots Help Pharmaceutical Companies In Race to be the First to Market The pace of manufacturing continues to increase in most industries, as companies race to get their products to market faster than their competitors. While being first...

Robot and Automation Simulation Past, Present and Future.
November 1, 1999... Simulation is a catchall phrase for a wide variety of CAE tools being used today in myriad applications and industries. This article explores the history, current use and future trends of the 3-D simulation of robots and other automation...

Simulation Fills Many Needs for Manufacturers.
November 1, 1999... Many people ask me, "Why do you need simulation?" and "How does it save me money?" The answer is usually, "It depends." Each company has different situations and needs that may or may not lead to simulation being the correct economic decision....

Elocab Spiral Cables.
November 1, 1999... Canadian-German custom cablemaker elocab offers uniquely designed spiral cables that reliably provide electrical power in working environments determined by sudden and extreme torsion stress or one-dimensional movements with limited space for...

C&M Megaflex Cables.
November 1, 1999... C&M Corp. has introduced Megaflex cables engineered to provide extended flex life within harsh industrial environments. The cables feature C&M's Duralon industrial-grade jacket, which is designed to outlast most PVCs and TPEs. The jacket also...

Belden VFD Cables.
November 1, 1999... Belden Wire & Cable Co. has introduced a new line of cables for low- to mid-power variable-frequency AC motor-drive applications. Belden Variable Frequency Drive 600V shielded cable provides higher reliability, easier installation and cost...

Alpha Flexible Cables.
November 1, 1999... Alpha Wire Co. has introduced a new line of flexible cables to its XTRA-Guard family of high-performance electronic cables. Based on XTRA-Guard's ability to withstand harsh environments, this new line of cables delivers high-speed dependability...

Olflex Cable Connectors.
November 1, 1999... Olflex Wire and Cable Inc. earlier this year introduced the newest product to its Skintop line, the Skintop SRW, a 90-degree elbow cable connector. The SRW is a liquid-tight, easy-to-assemble, strain-relief cable connector with a PG thread. It...

Igus Cable Carrier.
November 1, 1999... Igus Inc. this year introduced a variety of new cable-carrier products, including the Rol-E-Chain. The new carrier travels up to 2,600 feet with speeds up to 32.8 feet per second, and it has the ability to handle high loads and operate at a low...

BIW Tamaqua Cables.
November 1, 1999... BIW Tamaqua Cables offers auto-flex Type W continuous-flex, trans-gun power cables that feature ribbed EPDM insulation for stability in extreme flexing and twisting applications, synthetic fiber reinforcing, stranded flexible tinned copper for...

BICC Control Cables.
November 1, 1999... BICC Brand-Rex offers the Super Flexing and Duraflex control cables for applications that require a small-diameter flexing cable. Both cables are flame-retardant and oil-resistant and feature a thermoset rubber jacket to perform in the most...