Category: Manufacturing

A3 forum for robotics leaders runs through Friday in Orlando

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) Business Forum, which seeks to explore how robotics is changing businesses for the better, begins today at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek in Orlando. More than 400 attendees are expected at this 21st annual event. “A3 has been at the forefront of robotics industry for more than 30 years,

Robotic Industries Association shares safety regulation info

As a follow up to the 25th annual National Robot Safety Conference in mid-October, the Robotic Industries Association is looking for ways to deliver safety information that are less dry than the typical safety presentation. For example, yesterday the group posted a graphic that details both the history of workplace safety regulations as well as

Motorola, 3D Systems partner to create customized phones

One of the ways Motorola, which was acquired by Google last year, is attempting to set itself apart in the crowded mobile marketplace is by giving users an unprecedented ability to customize their phones, and they’re doing it with a technology tailor made for highly custom manufacturing: 3-D printing. 3D Systems, a leader in the

Robotic arc welding company expands reach with acquisition

Lincoln Electric Holdings, an Ohio-based company that specializes in arc welding products, reported today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Robolution GmbH, a robotic arc welding systems provider located near Frankfurt, Germany. Robolution currently serves a number of automotive manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. “Robolution expands

Baxter Research Robot signs Japanese distribution partner

Rethink Robotics reported today that it has signed an exclusive partnership with Nihon Binary to distribute the Baxter Research Robot in Japan. The Baxter Research Robot, which launched in April, is a version of Rethink’s innovative Baxter platform designed specifically for corporate and academic robotics research. Previously it was only available in the U.S. and Europe.

North American robotics shipments up, orders down

In a report released this week, the Robotic Industries Association said that for the first nine months of the year, North American robotics orders have declined while shipments have risen. A total of 15,731 robots valued at $978.5 million were ordered from North American companies in the first nine months of 2013, a decrease of

Arduino announces first board created with Intel architecture

Arduino, the open-source electronics hardware and software favored by many hobbyist, makers and professional roboticists alike, is getting a new family of “Arduino Certified” boards featuring Intel architecture. The news was announced today by Arduino co-founder Massimo Banzi and Intel CEO Brian Krzanich during Maker Faire Rome. The first product is Intel Galileo, a microcontroller

Rethink Robotics takes Baxter to next level with version 2.0

On the heels of Apple’s report that 200 million people have already adopted iOS 7, the robotics world got its own update news with the announcement that the category-defining Baxter robot from Rethink Robotics is moving to version 2.0. Rethink called the software update “game-changing” for its interactive manufacturing robot, which introduced the idea of

Study: Industrial robot sales to increase 2% globally in 2013

Global sales of industrial robots will increase by about 2 percent in 2013 to 162,000 units, according to a study released today by the International Federation of Robotics. That would fall short of the record of 166,028 units set in 2011 but still represents the second highest total in history. The study, “World Robotics 2013

Adept opens new demo center to serve East Coast customers

Adept Technology this week opened an application and demonstration center within the company’s Amherst, N.H., facility. The center is designed to give end users firsthand experience with the company’s industrial and mobile robots. Adept says the center will allow its customers and integrators to prove out advanced robotic packaging, handling, dispensing or assembling applications in real