IFR Webpage has a new design

It is with great pride and excitement to announce the presentation of the new IFR website.  From now on when you receive our e-mail announcing the latest IFR Newsletter you will be transferred to a newly designed IFR webpage.

President's Report

Still no good news on the economic situation! Only stagnation of the robot supplies in 2008! Sharp decrease in the first quarter 2009! - These could have been the headlines of the President's Report. But we decided to have these topics instead:

IFR Statistical Department

Worldwide supply of industrial robots stagnated in 2008!

According to the final results of the world statistics on industrial robots, the total worldwide supplies stagnated in 2008 compared to 2007. The financial and economical crisis affected the robot business in many countries already in the last quarter of 2008. In North America, where the crisis started, the robot supplies were down by almost 13% compared to 2007. Also Japan saw a decrease of 8%.

2009 IERA Award goes to Cyberdyne

5th IEEE-IFR Invention & Entrepreneurship Award in Robotics & Automation presented

As in previous years the judging panel had a difficult choice to make. The unanimous selection for the 2009 IERA Award winner was Cyberdyne Inc. for its Robot Suit HAL, an innovative human assistance system using an exoskeleton.

ISR - First Announcement

41st International Symposium on Robotics

The joint conference of the 41st International Symposium on Robotics (ISR 2010) and the 6th German Conference on Robotics (ROBOTIK 2010) takes place in the International Congress Centre Munich in Germany from June 7 to 9, 2010. The joint conference is organized in conjunction with the robotics exhibition AUTOMATICA which will be held June 8-11, 2010.

FANUC Robotics, USA - IFR-Partner

FANUC Robotics Introduced M-1iA Intelligent, High-Speed Assembly Robot

FANUC Robotics America Inc. introduced the new M-1iA intelligent assembly robot at the 2009 International Robots & Vision Motion Control Show held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont (Chicago), IL.

Kawasaki, Germany - IFR-Partner

"Colleague Robot" Makes Work Easier

Extreme physical stress is harmful to health - this is the result of a scientific study by the AOK (German health insurance company). Against the background of this fact, the Schomburg group has automated its workflow with the help of Kawasaki robot technology in order to increase the efficiency of their production.

Wittmann, Austria - IFR-Partner

Dual Arm Telescopic Robot for High-speed Applications on Mid-range Presses

WITTMANN's latest introduction is the W823D dual arm telescopic robot with 5 servo axis designed for automation of stack molds and other applications requiring two vertical arms. The W823D dual arm telescopic servo robot allows simultaneous or sequential operation of each vertical arm in order to remove parts from stack molds in medium tonnage machines up to 400 tons (440 U.S. tons).

Dürr, Germany - IFR-Partner

State-of-the-Art Control Engineering - Simpler, Faster and more Effective

The computer technology changed our life at a fast speed. Particularly the production technology is not imaginable anymore without its use. In this connection, science speaks of the third industrial revolution. Also in painting technology, formerly a rather manual production and empirically dominated manufacturing area, the computer entered massively and made the processes more economical and more environmentally friendly.

Kawasaki Robotics, Germany - IFR-Partner

Four novelties by Kawasaki Robotics

The newly designed R series is going to gradually replace the Kawasaki F series. The first robot of this series - the RS20N - offers a reach of 1,725 mm and a payload capacity of 20 kg.  

FANUC, USA - IFR-Partner

FANUC introduced M-2000iA/1200 super heavy-duty robot

FANUC Robotics America Inc. introduced the new M-2000iA/1200 super heavy-duty robot, able to lift parts weighing up to 1350 kg (3,000 lbs) at the 2009 International Robots & Vision Motion Control Show at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont (Chicago) IL.

Wittmann, Austria - IFR-Partner

Low Clearance Telescopic Pneumatic Robots

WITTMANN introduced the W710T and W710TS "pick and place" high performance pneumatic robots with telescopic Y-arm are designed specifically for applications requiring minimum clearance where robot automation may not have previously been considered.

Valk Welding, Netherlands - IFR-Partner

Marko installs fourth generation welding robot system

In spring of this year furniture producer Marko BV put a new, advanced welding robot system into operation at its production facility in Veendam.  The welding robot system represents the company's fourth generation of welding robots. Marko was leading the way in the robotised welding of steel office and school furniture as far back as in the nineteen-eighties. The investment in a Panasonic Tawers welding robot on a longitudinal movement and with 8 work stations has provided Marko with the last word in welding robot technology.

Kawasaki, Germany - IFR-Partner

Small Cells - Large Effect

Companies which align their procedures to the customer's benefit operate more efficiently and more successfully. However, in order to achieve this, the automation of the production processes is a basic prerequisite especially in today's globalized markets.

Wittmann, Austria - IFR-Partner

Packaging Success for Cebeci Plastik San.

Cebeci Plastik San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. was founded in 1968 as a small manufacturer and today is a leader in the packaging industry with annual volumes of 55-60 million containers per year. It currently occupies a production area of over 4,000 square meters with 12 machines ranging in tonnage from 80-220 tons and of which 6 are equipped with WITTMANN robots.

Valk Welding, Netherlands - IFR-Partner

Valk Welding France Atlantique opens in Western France

The official opening of Valk Welding France Atlantique on 15 May means that Valk Welding has now extended its activities to Western France. Under this name Valk Welding in Saint-Nazaire, with four French-speaking specialists, will be actively entering the market in the western region of France with demos, sales and service for welding robots and the sale of welding accessories. The welding accessories of Valk Welding are kept in Saint-Nazaire, where a number of welding robot systems are permanently set up for demonstrations of both Panasonic and Fanuc robots.

IPA, Germany - IFR-R&D Institute

50 Years Fraunhofer IPA

According to the slogan "We produce future" the Fraunhofer Institute Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA celebrates its 50th anniversary from July 1st to July 3rd.
 Along with numerous events the public is invited to high ranking lectures and exciting exhibitions. For the official ceremonial act celebrities from politics, industry and the research community have announced their participation.

PRECARN, Canada - IFR-R&D Institute

Team from University of British Columbia Wins First Annual Intelligent Systems Challenge

The Canadian Artificial Intelligence Association / Association pour l'intelligence artificielle au Canada (CAIAC) and Precarn Incorporated announced the winners of the first annual CAIAC-Precarn Canadian Intelligent Systems Challenge at the Intelligent Systems Collaborative Conference. 

Danish Technological Institute, Denmark - IFR-R&D Institute

Intellicare

The innovation consortium Intellicare is about finding and developing useful and people-oriented solutions to problems within the welfare and nursing industry.  The consortium will create a technological platform, able to integrate and encourage the collaboration between intelligent nursing resources and the environment.

Danish Technological Institute, Denmark - IFR-R&D Institute

Exoskeleton - a new and exciting innovation consortium

The Danish Technological Institute, Centre for Robot Technology has in cooperation with a line of companies, just recently, forwarded an application to the board of Research and Innovation, to fund a new ground-breaking innovation consortium: Exoskeleton.

RIA, USA - IFR-Industry Association

North American Robot Orders

North American robot orders dropped 31% in first quarter of 2009, but rose 16% from fourth quarter of 2008

RIA, USA - IFR-Industry Association Member

News from RIA

Offers from RIA for RIA members and non-members. Find out more ...

BARA, UK - IFR-Industry Association

Robotics get major boost as BARA joins the PPMA

The growing importance of robotics and automation systems to the global packaging supply chain has led to the amalgamation of the British Automation & Robotics Association with the Processing and Packaging Machinery Association.

ROBOAT, Taiwan - IFR-Industry Association

TIROS 2009 Show

TIROS 2009 is the major international robotics exhibition in Taiwan. It offers an outstanding platform for worldwide robotics-related firms to demonstrate their new products and technologies. Via TIROS'09, robotics-related companies or who are interested in robotics can get up-to-date information from the exhibition. Y

BARA, UK - IFR-Industry Association

The FP Awards; clash of the titans!

The 25th Food Processing Awards, held by Food Processing (FP) Magazine on the 9 February 2009, honoured ten companies working in the food industry with awards befitting their manufacturing, engineering, design and innovation achievements.

ISO robotics standardisation

Within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the robotics area is represented in the technical subcommittee ISO/TC184/SC2 "Robots and robotic devices".

AUTOMATICA 2010

8 - 11 June 2010

The preparations for AUTOMATICA 2010 are in full swing. The international leading trade fair for automation and mechatronics is taking place from 8 to 11 June 2010 at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre. It will be presenting the biggest robotics range in the world and integrated solutions for every technical manufacturing challenge as well as specific solutions that further optimise production processes.