Robotics World articles from September 2000

Robotics World archives from September 2000

Back to the Future.
September 1, 2000... Robot Industry Now Realizing the Promise of the 1980s A few mornings ago I was out for a walk, thinking about the upcoming workday and doing a little planning, a little daydreaming. I've been involved with robotic automation since an...

Industry Directory Available.
September 1, 2000... The 2000 Robotics Industry Directory, profiling nearly 200 companies, is now available free from the Robotic Industries Association. The directory features profiles of 189 major suppliers of robotics and peripheral equipment and service, full...

Agenda Set for Robotics Industry Forum.
September 1, 2000... Approximately 200 top executives from companies involved in robotics will attend the Robotics Industry Forum, set for Nov. 1-3 in Orlando, Fla. Besides networking opportunities, the forum features sessions on innovative robotic applications and...

Robot Safety Conference Coming to Cincinnati.
September 1, 2000... The National Robot Safety Conference, sponsored by RIA, will be held Oct. 23-26 in Cincinnati. The conference features topics of importance to both the novice and experienced robot user. Attendees will learn how to conduct a risk assessment,...

Nominations Sought for Robot & Vision User Recognition Award.
September 1, 2000... Nominations are now being accepted for the Robot & Vision User Recognition Award, presented every two years in conjunction with the International Robots & Vision Show. The next show will be held June 5-7, 2001, in Chicago. The winner of...

Metrology Automation Association Tops 20 Member Companies.
September 1, 2000... Formed under the Automation Technologies Council, the new Metrology Automation Association is quickly gaining member companies. MAA is a sister association to the Robotic Industries Association and Automated Imaging Association. MAA's...

SME-EF Puts Another $1.1 Million Toward Tomorrow's Engineers.
September 1, 2000... The Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation continues its support of manufacturing education, to fulfill the industry's competency needs for newly hired manufacturing engineers, by awarding $1.1 million in grants to nine North...

Robotics Developers of Tomorrow.
September 1, 2000... The Robotics International of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers' Student Robotic Challenge will return next year, April 7-8, 2001, at Robert Morris College in Pittsburgh. More information about the competition, along with two video clips...

Forte Automation Named Seiko's Integrator of the Year.
September 1, 2000... Torrance, Calif. - Forte Automation Systems Inc. of Rockford, Ill., has been named 1999 Integrator of the Year by Seiko Instrument USA's Factory Automation Division. Toby Henderson, president of Forte, accepted the award from Michael Ferrara,...

Robotics Industry Starts 2000 with Strong First Quarter.
September 1, 2000... The North American robotics industry began the year with one of its best quarters ever, according to new statistics released by the Robotic Industries Association. Through March, net new orders totaled 4,283 units, valued at $374.5...

USPS Employee Receives Golden Robot Award 2000.
September 1, 2000... John Weller of the U.S. Postal Services has been honored with the 17th Golden Robot Award, presented by ABB Robotics, in recognition of his development of robot solutions in a new area with large growth potentials. Weller began research...

ATI Industrial Automation Breaks Ground for New Facility.
September 1, 2000... Garner, N.C. - ATI Industrial Automation has announced plans to construct a 12,000-square-foot facility in the Pinnacle Park business park in Apex, N.C. ATI manufactures and distributes industrial robot peripheral components worldwide. ATI is...

Robotics Pavilion Returns To ATExpo in September.
September 1, 2000... Rosemont, Ill. - ASSEMBLY Technology Expo, the trade show dedicated to discrete product assembly, is set for Sept. 25-28 at the Donald E. Stevens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill., where more than 700 exhibitors will occupy 225,000 square...

Athena Signs Micro Air Vehicle Contract.
September 1, 2000... Manassas, Va. -- Athena Technologies has been awarded a Phase II contract from the Defense Advanced Projects Agency under the U.S. government's Small Business Technology Transfer program to develop micro air vehicle navigation and guidance...

VitriSeal Announces Plans For Detroit Coating Facility.
September 1, 2000... Draper, Utah -- VitriSeal Inc. believes it has succeeded in developing a viable process for repetitively applying its proprietary VitriSeal coating on aluminum wheels with a robotic arm system. The process is based on inorganic silicate...

NeuroMate System Used in First U.S. Parkinson's Surgery.
September 1, 2000... Davis, Calif. -- Integrated Surgical Systems Inc. has announced the first successful U.S. surgery to treat a Parkinson's disease patient with its NeuroMate System. "Implanting the Activa, a deep brain stimulator, with the NeuroMate System...

Virginia Hospital First in the Nation to Use da Vinci System.
September 1, 2000... Richmond, Va. -- Henrico Doctors' Hospital was the first hospital in the United States to perform general surgery using Intuitive Surgical Inc.'s da Vinci Surgical System, which was approved in July by the Food and Drug Administration. Dr....

LunaCorp Launches Plan for Multimedia Moon Robot.
September 1, 2000... Washington -- A fresh era of moon exploration is one giant leap closer as LunaCorp announced its initiatives to send advanced robots to the lunar surface. The initial Icebreaker Moon Rover is scheduled for launch in late 2003 on a...

Frost & Sullivan Releases Industrial Internet Report.
September 1, 2000... San Jose, Calif. -- To capitalize on the full potential of Internet technologies, manufacturers must look beyond e-commerce applications and envision the use of the Internet on the factory floor. According to "The Industrial Internet," new...

Orbital Unit Receives Two Major Space Robotics Orders.
September 1, 2000... Dulles, Va. -- Orbital Sciences Corp.'s MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. subsidiary was recently awarded two new contracts for its space robotics systems from the Canadian Space Agency and the National Aeronautics and Space...

Ethernet Group Selects NDDS Middleware.
September 1, 2000... Sunnyvale, Calif. -- Real-Time Innovations' NDDS has been selected by a group of leading industrial automation companies to provide real-time communications over Ethernet. NDDS is network middleware that provides real-time publish-subscribe...

EMS Technologies Delivers Robotic Device For Space Station.
September 1, 2000... Atlanta -- EMS Technologies Inc. has delivered a device that enables greater precision and control of robots in space. As a result, astronauts operating a new two-armed robot will be better able to manipulate objects with which the arms come...

QUICK TAKES.
September 1, 2000... Cimetrix Inc. has hired Steven Hausle, formerly the executive vice president of GW Associates, to launch a new Cimetrix Semiconductor Division. The new division will offer various software products aimed at reducing costs and time to market for...

Computer Motion Inc.
September 1, 2000... Computer Motion Inc. has been issued a broad-based U.S. patent that gives the company ownership of hand-tremor elimination with a robotic surgical system during minimally invasive surgery.

ATI Industrial Automation.
September 1, 2000... ATI Industrial Automation recently was named one of the 50 fastest growing technology companies in North Carolina....

Genesis Systems Group Ltd.
September 1, 2000... Genesis Systems Group Ltd. recently received the Year 2000 Supplier Recognition Award from American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. Genesis, which provides robotic flange and bracket welding cells to AAM's Detroit Gear & Axle, Guanajuato...

Intermec and Robotic Vision Systems Inc.
September 1, 2000... Intermec and Robotic Vision Systems Inc. have formed a strategic alliance to provide complete hardware, technology and integration services necessary for airlines, aircraft manufacturers, the military, and their suppliers, to comply with new...

Worthington Industries.
September 1, 2000... Worthington Industries has created a new business, Worthington Steelpac Systems, which will custom produce steel shipping pallets for a variety of shipment needs including recreational vehicles, such as motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles....

Catalytica Inc.
September 1, 2000... Catalytica Inc. has created Catalytica NovoTec Inc., a subsidiary that previously operated as a development group within Catalytica Advanced Technologies Inc.

Controlled Power Co.
September 1, 2000... Controlled Power Co., a manufacturer of products providing complete electrical power conditioning and protection, has received ENERGY STAR certification by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its "Ultra-K" shielded K-rated isolation...

Dassault System.
September 1, 2000... Dassault Systems has created DELMIA, its new brand for e-manufacturing, which consolidates Deneb, DELTA and SAFEWORK under a unique brand and provides the manufacturing community with e-solutions to create, monitor and control agile,...

PEOPLE.
September 1, 2000... Joe Parkinson has been named president and CEO of Photobit Corp., a supplier of CMOS image sensors.... Earl Rideout has been promoted to president of the Semiconductor Equipment Group of Robotic Vision Systems Inc.... Robert Heller has been...

Applied Robotics, Inc.
September 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.
September 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.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Beth Stearns 3070 Jefferson Blvd. Windsor, ON 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 providing...

Compucraft Ltd.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Nathan Naveh 14 Hailanot St. Kfar-Maas 49925, ISRAEL Phone: 011 972 3 933 5534 Fax: 011 972 3 933 5527 Email: info@CompucraftLtd.com Website: www.CompucraftLtd.com US Support: 1-877-659-9947 ...

CONVUM LLC.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Karen McWhorter 811 Commercial Ct. Murfreesboro, 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...

DVT Corporation.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Monica Roe Berry 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.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Amy Comer 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.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Irene Barber 258 McBrine Drive Kitchener, ON N2R 1H8 Phone: 519-893-1155 Fax: 519-893-2766 E-Mail: cables@elocab.ca Website: www.elocab.ca Elocab's product line begins where standard cables end. The...

Flow Software Technologies.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Beth Stearns 3070 Jefferson Blvd. Windsor, ON 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.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Mr. Toshi Harima 1261 Hamilton Parkway Itasca, IL 60143 Phone: 630-467-9900 Fax: 630-467-9912 Email: iaila@intelligentactuator.com Website: www.intellingentactuator.com Our lines of products were designed for use...

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

Kawasaki Robotics USA, Inc.
September 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.
September 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...

MEKAnize Robots Inc.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Karl Goebel, Sales Manager 1420 Quail Lake Loop Colorado Springs, CO 80906 Phone: 800-482-1834, 719-598-3555 Fax: 719-548-9277 Email: MEKAnize@MEKAnize.com Website: www.MEKAnize.com MEKAnize Robots is a...

Miller Edge.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Tim Castello P. 0. Box 159 West Grove, PA 19390 Phone: 800-220-EDGE Fax: 610-869-4423 Email: tcastello@milleredge.com Website: www.milleredge.com Miller Edge is one of the leading North American...

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

Multi-Contact USA.
September 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 Multi-Contact is the world's leading...

Ron Wesley.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Ron Wesley 3348 Innsbrook Drive Rochester Hills MI, 48309 Ph: 248-375-8140 Fx: 248-375-8141 Email: ronw@multi-contact-usa.com Website: www.multi-contact.usa.com Multi-Contact is the world's leading...

Hank Enstrom.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Hank Enstrom 901 Winslow Avenue Woodstock IL 60098 Phone: 815-334-9530 Fax: 815-334-9529 Website: www.multi-contact-usa.com Multi-Contact is the world's leading manufacturer of precision electrical and...

Pilz Automation Safety L.P.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Thomas Pilz 24850 Drake Rd. Farmington Hills, MI 48335 Phone: 248-473-1133 Fax: 248-473-3997 Email: tpilz@pilzusa.com Website: www.pilzusa.com Pilz was founded in 1948 as a glass-blowing business...

Rexroth Star.
September 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...

Rexroth Automation Systems.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Joel Galliher Charlotte, NC 28273 14001 South Lakes Drive Phone: 704-583-3266 Fax: 704-583-7216 Email: Jgalffier@starlinear.com Website: www.starlinear.com Provides integrated automation subassemblies...

Schmalz Inc.
September 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...

Schunk, Inc.
September 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.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Michael Hudson 6900 W. 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.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Customer Service/Sales Technical Support Department 100 Schmitt Boulevard Farmingdale, NY 11735 Phone: 631-630-0442 Fax: 631-630-0454 Tapeswitch Corporation designs and manufactures innovative sensing,...

TEIJIN SEIKI ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Takashi Sakamoto, President 31731 Northwestern Highway, Suite 113 E Farmington Hills, MI 48334 Ph: 248-538-9165 Fx: 248-538-9170 Email: sakamoto@teijinseiki.com Website: www.teijinseiki.com Teijin Seiki...

TREGASKISS LIMITED.
September 1, 2000... Contact: Ken Pratt, V.P. Sales & Marketing 2570 North Talbot Rd. Windsor, ON NOR l10 Phone 800-787-6966 Fax: 800-787-1530 Email: kpratt@toughgun.com Website: www.toughgun.com Manufacturers of the dependable line...

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

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

Putting It All Together.
September 1, 2000... Robots Thrive in Assembly Applications, Thanks to Shorter Product Life Cycles and Smaller Products and Components The cell phone is not only becoming one of the most ubiquitous consumer products on the market, it's also becoming the poster...

Braun Shaver Assembly.
September 1, 2000... The Shaver Division of Braun GmbH in Kronberg, Germany, needed to shorten product cycles and quickly reconfigure its assembly lines to accommodate new shaver models. One goal called for reducing assembly time per unit. To meet this challenge,...

Printed Circuit Board Assembly.
September 1, 2000... About two years ago, Murr Elektronik, faced with a growing demand for its electronic products, needed to increase throughput and time-to-market, but it was already having trouble controlling manufacturing expenses. Company executives needed a...

Alternator Stator Assembly.
September 1, 2000... In a robotic assembly cell designed by Alstom Services S.A. of France, three Staubli RX130 L robots assemble stators that are the Fixed part of alternators supplied to local power plants. They are made by stacking thousands of magnetic steel...

Camera Lens Housing Degating and Assembly.
September 1, 2000... Cutline: In Polaroid's Molding Machine and Lens Assembly System, a Sony robot assembles the camera lenses in their housings and then transfers the lenses to a tray. Five years ago, the Polaroid Corp. facility in Norwood, Mass., began a...

Disposable Camera Reassembly.
September 1, 2000... OPUS Automation recently designed and built a system that recycles and reassembles two types of disposable cameras, using four inverted robots made by CRS Robotics. While the cameras are called "disposable," they actually are reused, but...

A Brave New (300 mm) World.
September 1, 2000... Semiconductor Industry's Move to 300 mm Wafer Standard means More Opportunities for Robotics A major change for the semiconductor fabrication industry that was on the horizon a dozen years ago may finally be in sight. The industry has...

Case Study.
September 1, 2000... Semiconductor Laser Diode Testing Agilent Technologies, Ipswich Components Operation, in Ipswich, England, needed to find a fast, flexible and highly accurate method for testing semiconductor laser diodes used in fiber-optic communications...

Low-Cost Vision.
September 1, 2000... Robust Part-Location Performance Key in Robotic-Guidance Applications The new influx of low-cost vision products available today has many robot end users and OEMs scrambling to find out just what they can get for under $5,000. From...

Optimize Your Robot's Performance With the Right Force/Torque Sensor System.
September 1, 2000... Force/torque sensors are critical components of robotic applications in electrical and mechanical assembly, product testing, material handling and many other applications. A sensor system helps robots verify part insertion; holds constant force...

Debunking Robotic Assembly Myths.
September 1, 2000... Experiences of the 1980s No Longer Hold True I have been in the robot industry for more than 20 years, and one thing I know for certain is that knowledge of the progressing capabilities of robots (excluding insiders) is only as current as...

PC-BASED ROBOT CONTROLLER.
September 1, 2000... World Wise Technologies Inc. recently completed and shipped the enhanced General Dynamics Cincinnati Milacron T3776 robot. On the heels of the General Dynamics robot shipment, World Wise, through its General Cybernetics Inc. business unit,...

HOLLOW-SHAFTED MOTORS.
September 1, 2000... Empire Magnetics Inc. has introduced the size 42 Hollow Shaft Stepper Motor, which offers unique processing and packaging advantages for a variety of applications. Manipulator and robot arm designers benefit because a linear actuator can pass...

LINEAR AMPLIFIER.
September 1, 2000... Trust Automation's new micro-power linear amplifier, the TA305, is designed to drive small DC brushless motors, and it provides automation engineers with the capability to eliminate noise generated by PWM-type amplifiers. Taking advantage of...

FLEXIBLE COUPLINGS.
September 1, 2000... Four lines of miniature flexible couplings from Lovejoy Inc. -- for light-duty, precision power-transmission systems involving fractional-HP electric motor drives -- transmit torque loads without permanent distortion or damage and without...

OPERATING PANEL.
September 1, 2000... Keba Corp. offers the handheld KETOP T100 Teach and Operating Panel, built around Windows CE for robotics and other systems. The KETOP T100 can be connected to the controller through an Ethernet, CAN or serial interface. For longer programming...

LINEAR-MOTION BROCHURE.
September 1, 2000... Baldor Electric Co. has a new brochure describing its line of linear-motion products. The 242-page booklet offers product information on brushless linear motors, linear stepper motors, AC linear iduction motors, linear positioning stages,...

SERVO CONTROLLER.
September 1, 2000... Agile Systems offers the MAX2000 Multi-Axis Brushless Servo and Drive Module, which combines all aspects of motion control in a single package and offers up to three axes DSP-based coordinated motion and servo control. By combining the power...

MOTOR-FEEDBACK SYSTEM.
September 1, 2000... Stegmann Inc. recently introduced the SR 50 Series single-turn and multi-turn motor-feedback system in a compact 50mm housing. The SR 50 offers increased accuracy and extremely high resolutions to meet the increasing demands of digital drives...

SERVO AMPLIFIER.
September 1, 2000... Advanced Motion Controls has unveiled its newest sinusoidal commutation with encoder feedback product. The SE30A20AC delivers 30 amps peak and 15 amps continuous and operates off of 45-130 VAC. With dimensions of 8 inches by 6.3 inches by 3...

RAIL SYSTEM.
September 1, 2000... Lee Controls Inc. has launched its new SBC Profile Rail System, which is designed for use in automated production lines, CNC machines, power transmission and any linear-motion application where high precision and superior performance in a...

OPERATOR STATION.
September 1, 2000... Eason Technology Inc. has introduced a programmable logic and motion-control workstation ideal for small to medium-sized machine control and for connection to external devices across vendors. The Model 2750 includes local I/O and networking...