President´s Report

In August 2012, the IFR community met for the first time in Taipei to attend the 43rd International Symposium on Robotics, ISR 2012, and to take part in the robot show "TIROS". I was very impressed with the opening ceremony attended by the Vice President of Taiwan, Mr. Den-Yih Wu.

The continuing success story of industrial robots

Further increase of worldwide industrial robot sales in 2012 by nine percent

"The success story of industrial robots is continuing in 2012 and beyond" , said Dr. Shinsuke Sakakibara, IFR President, on the occasion of the publication of the study "World Robotics 2012 - Industrial Robots", on Thursday in Taipei. "Despite the weakening global economic situation a further robot sales increase of about nine percent to about 181,000 units is likely in 2012. The IFR Statistical Department expects that between 2013 and 2015 worldwide robot sales will increase by about 5% on average per year. In 2015, the annual supply of industrial robots will reach more than 200,000 units."

Statements of CEOs of important robot suppliers

World Robotics 2012 - Industrial Robots published

Please read the statements of CEOs of important robot suppliers on the latest robot figures published on 30 August 2012.

Professional service robots - Continued Increase

World Robotics 2012 - Service Robots published

About 16,400 service robots for professional use were sold in 2011, 9% more than in 2010, reports the IFR Statistical Department in the new study "World Robotics 2012 - Service Robots", which was published on Thursday in Taipei. The sales value increased by 6% to US$ 3.6 billion.

International Symposium on Robotics ISR 2012

Review of event

There were 180 experts and researchers from 21 countries came all the way to Taiwan to participate the 43rd International Symposium on Robotics during August 29-31. Worldwide experts and researchers presented novel works and shared ideas in the field of robotics at ISR 2012.

European Robotics Week 2012

scheduled from 26 November to 2 December 2012

The European Robotics Week offers one week of various robotics related activities across Europe for the general public, highlighting growing importance of robotics in a wide variety of application areas.

Schunk, USA - IFR-Partner

The Universal Hydraulic Toolholder

With the TENDO E compact, SCHUNK has started a new era in tool clamping. With this advanced toolholder, it is no longer required to use different holder technologies for milling, drilling, and reaming. 

Wittmann, Germany - IFR-Partner

"Creating value" with innovative automation and peripheral equipment technology from Wittmann

At the FAKUMA 2012, which is being held from October 16 to 21 in Friedrichshafen, Germany, WITTMANN will present more than ten novelties from the fields of automation and peripheral technology. The portfolio of premieres starts with two new robot models - W808 and W822.

Fanuc Robotics Europe S.A., Luxembourg - IFR-Partner

All electric route keeps medical device moulder clean

Technical injection moulding specialist, Sovrin Plastics, has equipped its latest dedicated moulding facility with electric moulding machines each fitted with an electric robot arm. Five FANUC ROBOSHOT moulding machines, each equipped with a six axes FANUC Robotics M6iB robot, help to maintain a clean room standard of Class7 (class 10,000).

Adept, USA - IFR-Partner

Synerlink, the engineering department of Arcil, Selects Adept Quattro Robots

Synerlink the integrator of the packaging machine manufacturer Arcil, offers end-of-line robotic solutions under the Aprium-Technology brand that feature Adept Quattro^TM robots from Adept Technology. Used to gently stack cups of yogurts and other food products at very high speeds prior to multipacking or case packing, the flexible Quattro robots are easy to deploy and easy to maintain.

Fanuc Robotics Europe S.A., Luxembourg - IFR-Partner

68 robots perform farmer's work

Agriculture is big business in the Murcia region of Spain, climatic conditions and soil type allow the production of vast quantities of vegetables that are a major contributor to the Spanish economy. The agricultural industry in the region understands the importance of technology to maintain its competitive position in European markets and actively applies research and development to keep ahead. 

Kawasaki, Germany - IFR Partner

Everything flows: Robot application in the present-day pane production

Equipment for cutting and conveying in the float glass process is the object of HEGLA GmbH & Co. KG. The combination with Kawasaki Robotics models for handling purposes delivers an interesting result. Glass panes nowadays are usually produced in the form of 'float glass', which offers the advantage of an extremely flat surface and nearly no inclusions of air.

Valk Welding, Netherlands - IFR-Partner

Grimme chooses welding robots from Valk Welding

Grimme, based in Damme, Germany and world market leader in agricultural machinery for potato production, has selected welding robot specialist Valk Welding's robot welding unit concept. Valk Welding has supplied two units, each with a Panasonic robot and DTPS offline programming. This enables Grimme not only to be considerably more flexible but also to offer shorter changeover times.

ABB, Sweden - IFR-Partner

In safe hands

At dairy giant Arla Foods' factory in the small Swedish town of Götene, the repetitive work of packing cheese into boxes on Line 21 was taking its toll on the workforce. Plucking a block of plastic-wrapped cheese off a conveyor belt and putting it into the correct position in a box at the rate of nearly one per second caused such high rates of repetitive strain injuries that this particular part of the factory had been labeled a "red" workstation, a designation for areas with elevated health and safety risk.

Dürr, Germany - IFR-Partner

Dürr receives Volkswagen Group Award

Volkswagen de México has presented Dürr with one of the sought-after Volkswagen Group Awards. The Mexican Group company Dürr de México, which is based in Querétaro, has received the award for its excellent performance at the VW factory in Puebla. In 2010 and 2011, Dürr de México installed more than 100 painting robots there together with colleagues from Germany.

BARA, UK - IFR Industry Association

Robot Sales Reach All Time High

If it wasn't impressive enough with sales of robots from January to March 2012 outstripping sales in any other quarter to date, then sales for the first two quarters have now exceeded all previous full year sales on record!

Dürr, Germany - IFR-Partner

7,000th Dürr robot operates in China

SGM, a Chinese Automotive joint venture, after a positive experience with Dürr paint shops this year, have ordered two more at locations in Norsom III, in spring 2012, and now in Wuhan. Both paint shops are identical. Wuhan provides another highlight: the 7,000th Dürr painting robot.

AER-ATP, Spain -IFR Industry Association

Infobótica Research Group - 2012 scientific report

Our research group has achieved several scientific results this year, including scientific articles in peer-review journals, scientific projects awarded by public calls and communications to conferences and meetings. Members of the Infobótica Research Group have published a RESEARCH ARTICLE entitled "Towards a new open communication standard between homes and service robots, the DHCompliant case" in the Robotics and Autonomous System journal. The aim of this article was to present a new protocol to integrate domestic robots into a smart home environment.

RIA, USA - IFR Industry Association

North American Robotics Industry Posts Best Quarter Ever, According to New Statistics from RIA

North American robotics companies sold more industrial robots in the second quarter of 2012 than any previous quarter in history, according to new statistics released by RIA. A total of 5,556 robots valued at $403.1 million were sold to North American companies, a jump of 14% in units and 28% in dollars over the same quarter in 2011.

RIA, USA - IFR Industry Association

Steve Forbes to Keynote Automate 2013

Steve Forbes, Chairman, Forbes Media, and a former Presidential candidate, will address the impact of the President and his administration on the future of the U.S. economy and business growth during a keynote presentation at the Automate 2013 Show and Conference in Chicago, IL.

RIA, USA - IFR Industry Association Member

News and Service Summary

News and offers from RIA to RIA members and non-members. Find out more ...

25-28 Oct, 2012

Robot World 2012

Robot World is one of the biggest international robot shows, which consists of exhibition, contest, and conference all in one. As a growing global exhibition for robot companies around the world, Robot World will be a reliable foundation for robot business growth.

7-9 Nov, 2012

ROBOTICA

ROBOTICA 2012, the fair dedicated to humanoid and service robotics, continues, at its fourth edition, to be an unmissable appointment for the entire business community of the sector. Important companies, innovative events and highly interesting contents make ROBOTICA 2012 the only significant Italian fair in the robotics sector.

26 Nov - 2 Dec, 2012

European Robotics Week 2012

European robotics community is greatly enthusiastic to organize the second European Robotics Week in 2012.  Last year, there were 360 robotics related events for the public throughout Europe with more than 130 participating organisations in 19 European countries. The Week received considerable local, European-wide and international press attention.