Robotics World articles from September 2003

Robotics World archives from September 2003

Rixan Associates.(People)
September 1, 2003... John Neal has been named director of marketing at Rixan Associates, the authorized North American distributor for Mitsubishi robots. Neal will be responsible for trade publications direct mail, e-marketing, web-based/website marketing...

Automated Concepts.(People)
September 1, 2003... Automated Concepts, a full line systems integrator, has appointed Steven Olson as marketing director....

Eric Mittelstadt, president of Mittelstadt Associates and chairman emeritus of FANUC Robotics America.(People)
September 1, 2003... Eric Mittelstadt, president of Mittelstadt Associates and chairman emeritus of FANUC Robotics America has been named to the board of advisers of the Automation Hall of Fame....

SICK.(People)
September 1, 2003... Jim O'Laughlin has been named product manager for SICK's DeviceNet Safety IP 67 I/O products on a worldwide basis. O'Laughlin will continue to manage the Safety Interface portfolio for the North American market out of the Minneapolis office of...

FKI Logistic Alvey Systems.(People)
September 1, 2003... FKI Logistex Alvey Systems has appointed Tony DiNello as director of Midwest regional operations and Jeff Cortez as operations manager, Midwest region....

Macro Sensors.(People)
September 1, 2003... Lester Schaevitz has been promoted to director of sales and marketing for Macro Sensors. Schaevitz previously served briefly as special projects manager at the firm.

Japan Robot Association.(Quick Takes)
September 1, 2003... The value of industrial robot shipments grew 31.9 percent year-on-year in the April-June quarter to $763.5 million, according to the Japan Robot Association. The figure marked the fourth straight quarter of increase. Exports rose 32.6 percent...

Cognex Corp.(Quick Takes)
September 1, 2003... Cognex Corp, has opened an office in Shanghai, China....

Macro Sensors.(Quick Takes)
September 1, 2003... Macro Sensors has achieved ISO 9001:2000 Certification of its manufacturing headquarters in Pennsanken, N.J....

FKI Logistex Alvey Systems.(Quick Takes)
September 1, 2003... FKI Logistex Alvey Systems has opened a satellite office in Scottsdale, Ariz....

OSA-LATOR.(Quick Takes)
September 1, 2003... The manufacturing facility for OSA-LATOR brand indexing tables, located in Mississauga, Ontario, has achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification from Intertek Systems Certification.

Directory clarifications.
September 1, 2003... In the industry directory in the July/August issue, Techno-Sommer Automatic should have been listed under "End Effectors/Gripper's" and "Vacuum Components" in the "Suppliers by Product Type" section. Techno Linear Motion Systems should have...

The Robotics, Automotive & Manufacturing Industries division of ABB Inc. has sold certain fixed assets of its former Robot Automation Systems Group in New Berlin, Wis., to Rimrock Corp. ABB and Rimrock have also signed a partner agreement for Rimrock Automation Inc., the name of the new company.(Mergers/Acquisitions/Agreements)
September 1, 2003... The Robotics, Automotive & Manufacturing Industries division of ABB Inc. has sold certain fixed assets of its former Robot Automation Systems Group in New Berlin, Wis., to Rimrock Corp. ABB and Rimrock have also signed a partner agreement for...

Genesis Systems Group recently acquired Dimensional Tooling Solutions in Detroit.(Mergers/Acquisitions/Agreements)
September 1, 2003... Genesis Systems Group recently acquired Dimensional Tooling Solutions in Detroit. Genesis Systems Group's New Dimension Tooling business unit will merge with DTS and form Genesis Dimensional and Tooling Solutions....

ABB Ltd., Daifuku Co.(Mergers/Acquisitions/Agreements)
September 1, 2003... In an agreement with ABB Ltd., Daifuku Co.'s automated warehouses and peripheral vehicles will be combined with ABB's distribution management software and robot technology and will be sold to major European supermarkets and auto parts...

Xybernaut and Braintech have a signed an agreement.(Mergers/Acquisitions/Agreements)
September 1, 2003... Xybernaut and Braintech have a signed an agreement under which Braintech will integrate Xybernaut's mobile/wearable computing technology into the Braintech eSupport System to advance support of vision-guided robotics systems used in industrial...

SICK and VITRONIC have signed a partnership agreement.(Mergers/Acquisitions/Agreements)
September 1, 2003... SICK and VITRONIC have signed a partnership agreement for the North American market, which adds VITRONIC's vision system solutions to SICK's Automatic Identification offerings....

ATS Automation Tooling Systems has sold the intellectual property.(Mergers/Acquisitions/Agreements)
September 1, 2003... ATS Automation Tooling Systems has sold the intellectual property and key operating assets of its Eco-Snow Systems division to The BOC Group for $6.4 million. BOC also entered into a five-year preferred contract equipment manufacturing...

Flexon GMBH is now the main distributor in the German market for Lovejoy couplings.(Mergers/Acquisitions/Agreements)
September 1, 2003... Flexon GMBH is now the main distributor in the German market for Lovejoy couplings. Also, RO-QUIP Asia Pacific is now a Lovejoy distributor and agent in Southeast Asia....

Selas Corp. of America has sold its automotive business.(Mergers/Acquisitions/Agreements)
September 1, 2003... Selas Corp. of America has sold its automotive business, Deuer Manufacturing, for $7 million to a subsidiary of Ventra Group Co., as part of its strategy to build its future around the robotic manufacture of miniature and micro-miniature...

International Rectifier and SANYO Semiconductor are jointly forming IRSA Integrated Technologies to design.(Mergers/Acquisitions/Agreements)
September 1, 2003... International Rectifier and SANYO Semiconductor are jointly forming IRSA Integrated Technologies to design, develop and market electronic motor drive power modules for appliances and light industrial applications.

Robotics industry sales up 34% in first half.(RIA Update)
September 1, 2003... North American-based robotics companies posted new order gains of 34% in the first half of 2003, according to new figures released by Robotic Industries Association, the industry's trade group. A total of 7,005 robots valued at $446.2...

Free admission to RIA's fall events in Orlando.(RIA Update)
September 1, 2003... If you are with a manufacturing company using or considering the use of robots, you may be able to qualify for free admission to RIA's "State of the Industry" events in Orlando: the Robotics Industry Forum and Robotics User Discovery Day, Nov....

Toyota Benchmarking Workshop filling fast.(RIA Update)
September 1, 2003... Space is filling quickly for the Toyota Benchmarking Workshop, which is part of the National Robot Safety Conference itinerary in Cincinnati, Oct. 27-30. During the workshop, engineers from Toyota will provide presentations, and participants...

New Workshop on Machine Vision for Robots.(RIA Update)
September 1, 2003... The Automated Imaging Association, with support from RIA, has developed the new Machine Vision for Robot Guidance Workshop, to help robotics users to meet that challenges for attaining increased throughput, world-class quality, cost reduction...

Recent developments in robot safety standards.(RIA safety update)
September 1, 2003... This has been a particularly exciting year for developments in robot safety standards. However, most of these developments have taken place outside the United States, so for many of us they have gone relatively unnoticed. Since I have been an...

Today's robots tackle more high-precision and complicated assembly tasks.
September 1, 2003... Robots have been performing simple assembly tasks since the early days of robotic automation, but today's robotic assembly systems are handling jobs that are increasingly of a high-precision, more complicated variety. "In the past,...

Vision-guided robots can save time and money.
September 1, 2003... In these cost-conscious times in the manufacturing sector, saving money is a necessity. According to robotics industry professionals, one way to realize long-term cost savings is the use of robot guided by machine vision. "Often, machine...

The increasing importance of distributed and flexible control in motion control applications.(Motion control)
September 1, 2003... As motion control applications become increasingly sophisticated, system designers continually need to improve the performance, efficiency, flexibility and accuracy of their motion control systems. Increasingly, control devices are being...

Test tube sorting.(Robotics Case Studies)
September 1, 2003... Specialty Laboratories Inc. has applied automation technology to improve the accuracy and efficiency of its operations. With assistance from Motoman Inc., Specialty implemented automated test tube sorting and handling workcells in summer 2000,...

Part inspection/assembly robot guidance.(Robotics Case Studies)
September 1, 2003... TEC S.r.l., a Cognex Corp. system integrator in Italy involved in the implementation of vision systems for industry, collaborated with factory automation firm ASM S.r.l to develop a quality inspection system for use at Meroni Serrature S.p.A, a...

Gantry robot routing.(Robotics Case Studies)
September 1, 2003... One of the more time-consuming tasks in producing Winnebago Industries motorhomes used to be routing the grooves for framing and wiring in the sidewall insulation panels. A new gantry robot equipped with a high-speed electric spindle improved...

Index of published case studies: September 2002-June 2003.
September 1, 2003... SEPTEMBER 2002 ASSEMBLY/DISPENSING: JFL Automation has manufactured four assembly cells that are integrated into a production line for a new line of vacuum cleaners at Dyson. Each cell is built around a ceiling-mounted Staubli RX60 L...

Rotary joint.(Component spotlight: end-of-arm components)
September 1, 2003... ATI Industrial Automation has released a device that allows unlimited rotation of end-of-arm tooling without tangling or twisting robot lines. The Rotary Joint, which passes electrical and pneumatic signals from robot to tooling, is designed to...

Gripper packages.(Component spotlight: end-of-arm components)
September 1, 2003... Automated Concepts Inc. has introduced a series of standard robotic end-of-arm tooling gripping packages that consist of a variety of two-jaw and three-jaw grippers mounted to robot mounting brackets. Mounting configurations include...

Gripper fingers.(Components Spotlight: end-of-arm components)
September 1, 2003... Direct-Line Products now offers finger grippers for acquiring parts that can't be gripped using a vacuum cup or traditional grippers. Common uses include gripping the outside edges of a large or wide part or gripping a cosmetically delicate...

Safety mount.(Component spotlight: end-of-arm components)
September 1, 2003... EOA Systems has introduced the Micro AssemblySafe, a lightweight safety mount designed to protect ultra low-payload robotic tooling from damage. The Micro AssemblySafe features air adjustable trip points; 360 degrees of rotational compliance;...

Modular tooling.(Component spotlight: end-of-arm components)
September 1, 2003... PIAB Vacuum Products has launched a new line of modular automation tooling. PIAB's Modular Automation Tooling (PMAT) allows users to construct vacuum end-effector tools to meet their exact needs with minimal design time. The tooling consists of...

Packing/Palletizing EOAT.(Component spotlight: end-of-arm components)
September 1, 2003... Schneider Packaging Equipment Co. now offers complete, integrated solutions for robotic case packing, palletizing and depalletizing. The tooling is flexible enough to handle objects of various sizes and shapes, such as boxes, bags, bales, cans...

Sheet-handling EOAT.(Component spotlight: end-of-arm components)
September 1, 2003... Remtec Engineering recently installed a large robotic sheet/panel handling system incorporating two of its new large-area vacuum grippers. These grippers incorporate a dedicated vacuum pump with six independent vacuum zones spread over 28 PIAB...

Lab automation tooling.(Component spotlight: end-of-arm components)
September 1, 2003... Applied Robotics has introduced a solutions package that features a combination of robot end-effectors and accessories necessary for many lab automation applications. This suite of products, which includes servo and pneumatic grippers,...

Parallel grippers.(Component spotlight: end-of-arm components)
September 1, 2003... New two-jaw, sealed parallel grippers from Techno-Sommer Automatic feature a design that combines tight sealing against particles and liquids with the capability of handling large moment loads. Grippers in the GP1800 Series are suited for use...

Multi-function palletizing EOAT.(Component spotlight: end-of-arm components)
September 1, 2003... Columbia/Okura's bag/box end effector enables a single robot to simultaneously palletize bags and boxes without changing tools. The tooling can palletize products from up to three lines at the same time, saving floor space and costs of...

Quick change chuck.(Component spotlight: end-of-arm components)
September 1, 2003... SAS Automation has introduced the new Quick Change Chuck-Lite, which is adaptable to any robot. The product also makes EOAT interchangeable among robots, while minimizing downtime during setup changes. The Quick Change Chuck-Lite features an...

Modular vacuum pumps.(Component spotlight: end-of-arm components)
September 1, 2003... Schmalz Inc. now offers modular vacuum pumps, Type SCP, and a miniature version, SCPM, which provide complete, integrated solutions using optimized venturi nozzles in seven sizes, control solenoid valves, solenoid valves for converting suction...

Escapements.(Component spotlight: end-of-arm components)
September 1, 2003... Schunk Inc. has introduced two new escapement product lines, the PES single-cylinder unit and the PED double-cylinder unit, both offered in three sizes. When used as a double version, the unit incorporates mutual force locking to ensure that...

Gripper series.(Component spotlight: end-of-arm components)
September 1, 2003... Festo Corp. has introduced its latest series of standard grippers: Types HGD, HGP, HGR and HGW. The standard gripper range offers a compact design with flexible sizes and styles to meet almost any application requirement. All four...

Parallel grippers.(Component spotlight: end-of-arm components)
September 1, 2003... Robohand has introduced its new DPD series of DirectConnect, double-wedge parallel grippers in 12 sizes covering a range of strokes and grip forces, in two distinct families: the DPDL for long stroke and the DPDS for short stroke. The mounting...

Rotary tables.(Product Roundup)
September 1, 2003... IntelLiDrives Inc. has introduced Series RT rotary tables in a direct-drive configuration by combining planar air bearing and RotoLinear motor technologies. The tables eliminate friction, backlash and the wear problem associated with worm gears...

Robot guidance system.(Product Roundup)
September 1, 2003... Radix Controls has introduced its iOpenVision single-camera, 3-D robot-guidance software for improving part handling and manufacturing processes. Radix Controls has developed the software tools and algorithms to guide any industrial robot in...

Welding proximity sensors.(Product Roundup)
September 1, 2003... Namco Controls Corp.'s new DuraProx extended range sensors are available in 25mm shielded range and 35mm unshielded range models. With an all-metal design built to survive the toughest welding environments, DuraProx has been proven in...

Robotic welding software.(Product Roundup)
September 1, 2003... ABB's new software interface, VirtualArc, can be operated from a single PC or laptop and provides users with efficient offline welding process tuning to predict a wide range of results, including weld shape and penetration; weld quality; and...

Robotic paint controller.(Product Roundup)
September 1, 2003... Robotic Production Machinery earlier this year introduced its SmartPaint controller, designed to be a pre-engineered solution for coatings applications. Typically, users will purchase a paint robot or reciprocator, pumping and mixing equipment,...

SCARA robots.(Product Roundup)
September 1, 2003... Intelligent Actuator Inc. has launched a new generation of low-cost, high-performance SCARA robots starting at under $12,000. The four-axis IX SCARA models, which succeed the company's IH series, deliver high speeds and short cycle times within...

Robotics showcase.(Robotics World Showcase)
September 1, 2003... This Special Showcase Section is a valuable resource for buyers and users of industrial robots, flexible automation and intelligent machine systems. Each showcase presents the latest trends and most recent technological developments by leading...

>SAS< automation.(Robotics World Showcase)
September 1, 2003... Largest supplier of EOAT & gripper systems for all makes of robots. Modular systems reduce robot wear: get a grip!--components for heavyweight applications, GRIP IT!--EOAT for lightweight applications, nip it!--sprue nippers. Custom grippers,...

EPSON robots.(Robotics World Showcase)
September 1, 2003... EPSON Robots EZ Modules are a line of high quality, easy to assemble modular axes that can be configured as one, two, three or four axis mechanisms. They run on either of EPSON'S powerful PC-based controllers--the RC420 Controller or the RC520...

Robotic rotary joint.(Robotics World Showcase)
September 1, 2003... ATI Industrial Automation has just released a new product that allows unlimited rotation of end-of-arm tooling without tangling or twisting robot lines. By utilizing advances slip-ring technology the Rotary Joint passes electrical and pneumatic...