MD&M West is known for its unwavering usefulness to attendees and exhibitors alike, and this year’s event delivered as usual. Here’s what we saw at the Bosch Rexroth booth (within the colocated ATX West) during our visit at the show. A main focus at the Bosch Rexroth booth was connected automation technology — also called the Internet of […]
Robotics
Heavy duty oil rig robot takes top prize
The project from Norwegian company Robotic Drilling Systems has been awarded the most creative Energy Chain application system in biennial awards. Every two years, igus presents its “vector awards,” celebrating unique and creative uses of Energy Chain cable carrier systems. This year, the gold vector was awarded to Norwegian company Robotic Drilling Systems, for their […]
Robots and end effectors: from heavy duty to human scale
Miles Budimir Senior Editor Robotics is hot. Manufacturers in the business know this, and others are catching on. From investors to companies using more robots on the manufacturing floor, to consumers snapping up robots to do mundane house chores, robots are here to stay. Industrial robots in particular are finding their way into new applications. And […]
Five key electrical design concepts for mechanical engineers
Edited by: Paul J. Heney, Editorial Director Mechanical engineers often overlook important electrical issues when specifying their respective parts of an electromechanical system. This targeted advice will help you design your next electromechanical system. Mechatronic systems are the state-of-the-art technology in automation systems, intelligently integrating mechanical and electrical elements to perform increasingly complex and demanding […]
Get ready for National Engineers Week
This year, National Engineers Week runs from February 21st through the 27th. The annual celebration focuses on introducing kids to engineering through a variety of activities. Its aim is to raise awareness of what engineering is, what engineers do, and how kids can get active and involved in engineering. This year, National Engineers Week celebrates […]
Two positioning components speed OEM product development
by Robert Gloeckner, Advanced Engineering Group, MICROMO Innovative components help OEMs revolutionize designs. In fact, some original equipment can now benefit from zero-backlash actuators and integrated gearhead encoders. These give designers multiple options for demanding applications. Performance, cost and size requirements for motion applications vary widely. In some cases, performance trumps all and the budget […]
SCHUNK PWG-plus two-finger angular gripper
The PWG-plus is compact and robust due to the oval piston drive, the strong aluminum housing, and the almost wear-free T-bar drive. Depending on the application, it can also be equipped with an ID/OD spring safety device. Numerous accessories are available, including inductive proximity sensors and magnetic sensors. The PWG-plus gripper jaws and gripper mounting […]
Omron at it again: This time, buys robot-maker Adept
OMRON Corp., automation manufacturer and leader in sensing and control technology, and Adept Technology, Inc., a global provider of intelligent robots, autonomous mobile robot solutions and services, today announced that the two companies have entered into an agreement whereby OMRON will acquire Adept. OMRON plans to acquire 100% of the outstanding shares of Adept common stock […]
Software with standard modules can now drive motion and robots
By Detlef Stork – Technology Manager, Motion – Lenze Machine builders must deliver designs with more flexibility than ever. Standardized motion software helps them go beyond segregated component and drive purchases with efficient programming of even complex robotic movement. Today’s increasingly custom products are leading to smaller production batches, so production machinery is becoming more […]
High-speed picker with safety functionality from Schunk
The Schunk EGP Safety is the world’s first performance level d/SIL3-certified electric small component gripper on the market with omnidirectional gripping force safety. In combination with a special safety module it enables SOS and STO functions. If the assembly process is interrupted as a result of an emergency shutdown, the module automatically switches to safe […]
