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IFR Round Table on the Industrial Breakthrough with Robots

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:37:59 +0000

March 2011 International press event of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) at the AUTOMATICA in Munich on 23 May 2012
The IFR invites the international press to the 3rd IFR CEO Round Table Discussion on

23 May 2012
09:00 hrs to 11:00 hrs
Messe Munich
International Visitor's Lounge West


John Dulchinos CEO Adept USA	Manfred Gundel CEO KUKA Roboter Germany	Olaf Gehrels President FANUC Luxembourg Corp. Luxembourg	Yoshikatsu Minami Director and General Manager Robotics Division Yaskawa Electric Corp. Japan	Per Vegard Nerseth Head of ABB Robotics Switzerland

Agenda

1. Welcoming words of the IFR President Dr. Shinsuke Sakakibara, FANUC 2. Presentation of the preliminary results of World Robotics Industrial Robots 2012 by the IFR Vice President Arturo Baroncelli, Comau 3. Discussion on "Industrial breakthrough with robots" with:

Representing European robot suppliers

Per Vegard Nerseth, Head of ABB Robotics, Switzerland
Manfred Gundel, CEO, KUKA Roboter, Germany

Representing American robot suppliers

John Dulchinos, CEO and President, Adept, USA

Representing Japanese robot suppliers

Olaf Gehrels, President, Fanuc Luxembourg Corporation, Luxembourg
Yoshikatsu Minami, General Manager Robotics Division, Yaskawa Electric Corp., Japan

Moderator

Ken Fouhy, MM Maschinenmarkt, Germany

4. Get together and personal interviews with the international robot experts Take the chance and meet the most competent robotics experts in the world! We are looking forward to meeting you at the IFR Round Table at the AUTOMATICA in Munich!

President´s Report

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:13:23 +0000

April 2012 Dear Members,

More than 150,000 new industrial robots were sold all over the world in 2011! This is by far the highest number of sold robots ever recorded in one year. Robot suppliers are increasing capacities and the success story of industrial robots is ongoing. Case studies of our members published in this newsletter show examples of innovative robotic solutions in various industries.

The Robotics and Automation industry will demonstrate innovations and solutions from 22 to 25 May 2012 at the AUTOMATICA in Munich.

We have just finished evaluating the applications for the IERA Award 2012. The purpose of this award is to highlight and honor the achievements of the inventors with value creating ideas and entrepreneurs who propel those ideas into world-class products. As a member of the Awards Committee, I had a close look at the applications. I was very impressed by the innovations and the successful commercialization of products. The IERA Award promotes the alliance between researchers and robot suppliers. I think close co-operation of both is the key to the great success of the robotics industry. Don't miss the presentation of the finalists of IERA 2012 on 23 May 2012 at the AUTOMATICA! I am also looking forward to seeing you at the IERA Award Networking Dinner in the evening. You will have the opportunity to meet the international robotics community there.

Another highlight during the AUTOMATICA will be the IFR CEO Round Table on 23 May 2012. CEOs of the robotics industry from Europe, Asia and America will discuss the topic "Industrial breakthrough with robots". The preliminary result of the global robot statistics and forecasts will also be presented.

I look forward to seeing you in Munich!

Dr. Shinsuke Sakakibara
IFR President

Finalists nominated for the 8th IERA Award

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:12:41 +0000

Frankfurt, 23 April 2012 - Five Finalists have been nominated by the IERA Award Committee to present their story of the genesis of a successful innovative product in robotics and automation in a special session on 23rd May 2012 from 13:00 to 16:00 hrs in hall A3, room A31/32, at the AUTOMATICA in Munich. The Award Ceremony will take place the same day during the IERA Award Networking Dinner from 19:00 to 22:30 hrs at Restaurant Seeblick at the fairground of Messe Munich. The session and the dinner are open to the public but the dinner requires a registration. The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) and IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (IEEE/RAS) are the sponsors of the Invention and Entrepreneurship in Robotics and Automation Award. The purpose of the IERA Award is to highlight and honor the achievements of the inventors with value creating ideas and entrepreneurs who propel those ideas into world-class products. At the same time the joint disposition of the award underlines the determination of both organizations to promote stronger collaboration between robotics science and robotics industry. The selected finalists must verify their products in terms of innovative and entrepreneurial aspects. The ultimate winner will be chosen by the Awards Committee, consisting of respected individuals from industry and academia. A prestigious plaque and a US$ 2,000 prize will be awarded to the winner during the IERA Award Networking Dinner. The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) and IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (IEEE/RAS) are proud to nominate the following finalists:

Nominees

Evolution Robotics, USA, Mario E. Munich
"MintTM: The First Intelligent Mopper and Sweeper Robot"
Mint is the first systematic mopper and sweeper robot that retails under $199, a price-point unparalleled by other systematic floor-care robots. Mint has shown a great potential for commercialization and economic viability, reaching sales of hundreds of thousands of units since its introduction in the US market in the fall of 2010. The robot showcases a group of novel technologies in the area of localization, navigation, and systematic coverage that could be extended to other floor-care robots or even other consumer robotics products. The combination of the price-point and the technologies has a broad impact on the consumer robotics industry by fueling the development of novel consumer products.
HiBot Corporation, Japan, Dr. Michele Guarnieri
"Expliner - Robot for Inspection of very high Voltage Transmission Lines"
Expliner was developed in order to automate the inspection of very-high voltage transmission lines. It is a robot composed of four wheels that are placed over the transmission lines. As it moves, it collects very detailed information of the lines, in a way that would be impossible for line men. With Expliner workers no longer need to risk their lives moving on energized lines. They may control the robot from the ground by a portable control unit, using the video provided by several cameras and telemetry information to operate Expliner remotely.
Reflexxes GmbH, Germany, Torsten Kroeger
"The Reflexxes Motion Libraries"
The On-line Trajectory Generation algorithms of the Reflexxes Motion Libraries are the first ones that allow computing jerk-limited robot motions from arbitrary initial states of motion while considering the current dynamic capabilities of robots. This is an important feature for classic industrial robot control architectures, servo drive control units, as well as for cutting edge robots with variable-stiffness or serial-elastic actuators in order to achieve deterministic reaction behaviors to sensor signals and events.
RoboCoaster Ltd., UK, Gino De-Gol
"Passenger Carrying Industrial Robotics"
The RoboCoaster TÜV robot is the world?s first and to date the only application of industrial robotics being fully adapted and certified for passenger carrying operations. It has been widely adopted in amusement and theme parks around the world. This pioneering work with regard to safety certification and approvals has led to other passenger carrying markets opportunities to be explored, including the medical and low cost motion simulation markets, both of which are now being actively exploited.
Universal Robots Aps, Denmark, Esben Oestergaard
"UR5 - a flexible and eco-friendly robot arm"
The UR5 is a small, light and user friendly 6-axis industrial robot, which has been created specifically for small and medium sized enterprises that have a need for flexible automation with a short payback period. The UR5 is very easy to handle, so all technical employees in production companies can use it after short training. It may also, in accordance with current regulations, operate without screening. Due to the user-friendly software that is delivered with the robot, it can be in operation within minutes.

As it is evident from the abstracts of the applications, the line up of the finalists will deliver interesting lectures and emphasize the versatile use of robots.

Download:

IERA Award Logo
IERA Award Poster
Press release englisch pdf (52kb)
Pressemitteilung deutsch pdf (62 kb)

KUKA, Germany - IFR Partner

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:18:04 +0000

March 2012 The fact that remote control units and cell phones are pleasing and comfortable to hold is the result of extensive processes in the field of materials research. Plastic and steel manufacturers define the properties that the materials they use in production must have. In many cases, large numbers of trials are required before the desired material properties are achieved. Having made a name for itself with its materials testing machines, Zwick numbers the world's largest steel manufacturers and numerous plastic manufacturers among its customers.

Safe handling of specimens by robot

KUKA robots are used at Zwick for handling specimens; the robot moves the test objects from A to B. Specimens can be anything from pieces or strips of metal to insulin pens or parts for medical components. Large steel bars are also tested, measuring up to 700 millimeters in length and weighing up to 15 kilograms. "A specimen is destroyed in 80 to 90 percent of the cases," explains Robert Kaifler, Automation Product Manager at Zwick. "The resulting control parameters are subsequently fed into the production system to optimize it. The principle is the same whether the system is a steel rolling mill, an injection molding machine or a machine for manufacturing insulin pens."

Utmost precision for highly accurate measurements

Materials testing requires the highest possible accuracy. The slightest deviation in the motion changes the material characteristics. For this reason, Zwick has been automating its materials testing machines with KUKA robots for over 10 years. The objective of the robotic testing system is to reduce deviations to a minimum. The main task of the KUKA robot is the exact loading and positioning of the material to be tested. It is only with a robotic system that materials testing really has a reproducible process without loss of value - the cycles are fixed. The testing volume has risen significantly in recent years. The number of employees in the laboratory, on the other hand, is constantly decreasing. The available employees can only be used for value-adding work. Monotonous tasks and repetitive procedures that nonetheless require maximum accuracy are reliably performed by the KUKA robot - round the clock if necessary.

The specimen makes it safely from A to B

When materials are tested in the plastics industry, the temperature plays a decisive role: if a specimen is touched by hand, the material characteristics change due to body temperature. Manual testing methods are thus always problematical. One way of attempting to filter out this negative effect is to use a robotic hand at room temperature. A normal test takes between one and three minutes. "In the past, materials testing was carried out by hand," explains Robert Kaifler. "Obviously, the results were not always exact." The main focus is thus on the precision and accuracy of the robot. "The test is standardized and the speed predefined," says Wolfgang Mörsch, Inside Sales and Marketing Manager at Zwick. "The most important thing for us is that the specimen is moved reliably and precisely from A to B!"

Automated testing systems - in operation worldwide

Zwick customers mostly conduct standard tests. "The primary objective is, of course, cost reduction," explains Robert Kaifler. 80 percent of applications for the KUKA robots with the Zwick testing systems involve destructive testing, while 20 percent are accounted for by non-destructive materials testing. The most commonly used robot types are the KR 6, KR 30 and KR 60. Zwick has meanwhile installed around a hundred automated systems which are in operation worldwide.

Plannable and traceable sequences in medical technology

The reproducibility of the test results is indispensable when testing medical products. In order to live up to these requirements, Zwick has developed a fully-automatic system for testing insulin pens. A zwicki-Line materials testing machine with integrated torsion drive, combined with a KR 5 sixx from KUKA, ensures exact and cost-effective testing. For some years, Zwick has been more actively involved in the field of medical technology. The testing machine measures the dosage setting and triggering force and calculates the administered dose in one continuous process. Test methods on the two test axes can be modified and combined as required. Automated specimen feed is carried out using the robotic handling system. Falsification of the test results caused by operator influence is eliminated. The test process is made significantly more efficient by the increased specimen throughput, while testing can also be performed manually at any time if required. The automated Zwick testing systems can also be used to test the force required to unroll gauze bandages, the material properties of dental syringes or the child-proof caps of medicine containers. "A production process for medical products must be seamlessly documented in accordance with the FDA directive. Here, once again, automation with KUKA robots ensures precisely plannable and traceable sequences," emphasizes Robert Kaifler. Using KUKA's powerful and open control concept, Zwick can adapt the testing systems to the specific requirements of the end customers. Furthermore, there is a wide range of expansion options available, making it easy to adapt the robot to changing requirements or new tasks. At Zwick, the focus is on precise and repeatable work. Robert Kaifler is convinced: "Our success has proved us right. Opting for KUKA robots was the right decision."

Kawasaki, Germany - IFR Partner

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:48:01 +0000

March 2012

Since 1997, the company CLK is specialized in image processing for quality control and automation purposes. According to the needs of today's consumers, standard methods are considered to be behind the times. For this reason, right from the beginning CLK has focused on particular configurations for complex tasks in the fields of steel making, component supply, medico-technical equipment and plastics technology.

"For quite some time already, our main activities concern the food sector", declares Dr. Carsten Cruse, managing director of CLK. "In that branch, many producers have recognized the need of high-grade monitoring equipment, so the turnover here is continuously increasing. Most of the competitors are aware of the fact that negligence could entail a drop in quality or even a scandal."

Of course, a complex instrumentation is not necessary for every case. 2D inspections for integrity, sorting procedures or general process monitoring units still belong to the day-to-day operations of the company. Other similar cases concern inspections for foreign matter, or the quick detection of the use-by date of a moving product (e.g. on a conveying belt), combined with a sorting procedure for further handling or elimination.

In order to enlarge the range of products with regard to current needs, a high-precision 3D colour-vision system is launched, after an intense cooperation with Kawasaki Robotics. Suitable also for most stringent quality inspections, it represents an ideal choice for a clientele tolerating no deviation with respect to the appearance, colour or geometrical properties of the raw material. Furthermore the obtained results can be used by the robot for an individual treatment of each single object.

3D Inspection

The 3D inspection system behaves like a human eye and evaluates different parameters individually to be set up, according to the circumstances. A stereo camera system is integrated, which collects depth data, to be superimposed to another picture, to grasp the points in space. This feature makes available a data set largely increased compared to conventional 2D systems, on behalf of an improved robot control. On the basis of the detected height, volume and surface inclination data, the machine sets the gripper angle, decides on the starting point of a cutting procedure or sorts out the item.

In this way, the tool may precisely be directed along a path created by the image data, in a defined and accurately calculated orientation. The entire arrangement, comprising a 3D camera and a 2D colour camera, thus manages 6 dimensions simultaneously, 3 for detection and 3 for the robot operation.

Deviations in shape, dimensions, colour and position can reliably be discovered also for moving objects, e.g. on a conveying belt. The combination with the robot enlarges the capabilities of the image processing system to a nearly unlimited number of applications.

In order to minimize the response time, both manufacturers have elaborated and established an adequate communication between robot and PC. The rugged construction of the robot withstands also harsh industrial environment conditions.

"Our cooperation with Kawasaki was a full success. Service and quality perfectly match the conditions also for extremely complex situations", confirms Dr. Cruse, and Johannes Rolf, sales manager of Kawasaki Robotics Germany, agrees: "For us as a robot manufacturer, it is an enormous advantage working together with a partner like CLK, so we can offer combined systems far beyond the standards."

Programming of the procedures not in the least complicated. The user does not need to know the 3D result. The whole sequence including all parameters can be prepared by means of the 2D image. A simple self-teach package is available as well, which enables to quickly adapt the sequence to new applications. The relevant terminology and teach-in sequence remain in the memory and can be re-used any time. Special knowledge is not necessary, because the software is optimized with regard to the product. After a short learning phase, in-situ reconfiguration is accomplished in no time at all.

A current example of the 3D vision system is profile cutting of chop portions, carried out in meat industry (Westfleisch eG, Münster, Germany). The border of fat is automatically removed, over a length of 1 m. The 3D camera detects the shape of the entire piece, and the 2D colour camera makes the distinction between the meat itself and the border. As soon as the robot receives the exact position data, the cutting process including correct start angle and cutting depth is initiated. This procedure is performed "on the fly", at a belt speed of 240 m/s.

Adept, USA - IFR-Partner

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:39:28 +0000

Company

A large Korean based chocolate company specializes in making variety of chocolates in large volume. The company thrives to deliver high quality chocolates packed into a specialized box in variety of shapes and forms.

Han Shin Power Tech Co., one of the largest system integrators in Korea, was retained to help the chocolate company to comply with HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) food safety regulation from KFDA (Korea Food & Drug Administration). Han Shin has presence in Korea, China, Vietnam, Australia, US and Canada catering to Asian and North American market.

Problem

Han Shin's customer specializes in manufacturing variety of chocolates. They had manual workforce picking chocolates traveling on a high-speed conveyor. The large conveyor had workforce standing along the belt to pick and place the chocolates into the box.

Employees were stressed working with high-speed conveyors. A simple task of picking chocolates had a 2% error rate. In addition, the chocolates had higher probability of getting rotten with human contact, and quality of packaging was compromised during end of the shifts. The positive side of the manual workforce was the ability to handle variety of chocolates without additional effort.

Solution

Adept consulted with Han Shin, and designed the hygienic primary packaging solution jointly through USDA-accepted robots. Han Shin built a compact system and simplified the design of the robotic system based on the customer?s requirement. Han Shin developed multiple recipes to handle product variations with only few clicks on the operator interface. The system was designed, tested, and optimized only in few weeks, and customer was running fully automated system from a manual-process in 3 months.

Adept & Han Shin solution consists of:

Adept Quattro s650HS, an USDA-accepted robot
Single user-friendly interface to manage the entire line of robots, cameras, controllers, and tooling through Adept ACE software platform
Vision guidance and inspection system through ACE AdeptSight software
Packaging application with conveyor-tracking capabilities for through ACE PackXpert software
High payload capability up to 6kg allowing the robot to pick 80ppm
Han Shin designed & built the custom end-effector for high speed picking
Han Shin designed a compact and simple system to a third of existing solution size

Impact

Han Shin's customer moved from a conventional semi-hard automation with manual workforce to a completely automated robotic solution in 3 months, replacing the manual workforce from a mundane stressful job. The customer improved the footprint efficiency by 300% achieving the targeted throughput of 80ppm with ease. Han Shin also deployed the system through a user-friendly interface so that the customers could pick any recipe in a few clicks. Most importantly they are now certified by KFDA as HACCP compliant, and have a clean hygienic plant.

March 2012

RIA, USA - IFR Industry Association Member

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:47:26 +0000

March 2012

Automation Industry Mourns Loss of Kelley Vincent

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) and its trade groups, RIA, AIA and MCA are sad to announce that the international robotics, vision and motion community lost a beloved ambassador when Caroline "Kelley" Vincent passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer. Memorial contributions can be made to the Special Olympics. More...

2012 Joseph F. Engelberger Awards: Nomination Deadline is April 1

The Engelberger Robotics Award is the world's most prestigious robotics honor, presented to outstanding individuals to honor excellent achievements in education and leadership. RIA is accepting nominations through the deadline of April 1 for the 2012 awards, which will be presented in Taipei, Taiwan, during the 43rd International Symposium on Robotics (August 29-31, 2012). more...

Industry Umbrella Group Changes Name to Association for Advancing Automation (A3)

The umbrella trade association for the Robotic Industries Association (RIA), AIA, and the Motion Control Association (MCA) has changed its name from the Automation Technologies Council to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), more accurately reflecting its mission to be the global advocate for the benefits of automation. more...

RIA Now Taking Applications for New Certified Robot Integrator Program

RIA is now taking application from integrators for its newly launched Certified Robot Integrator program. Any robotics system integrator successfully completing an on-site audit consisting of verification of required information and hands-on testing of personnel can become certified. Benefits include being able to promote themselves as a certified RIA integrator and industry leader and benchmarking with competitors. more...

View Webinar Archives Free:

How to Become an RIA Certified Integrator

Best Practices for Robot Integrators

Rho Bota Phi Blog Site Launched to Help People Find Careers in Robotics

A new blog site to help students, faculty and job seekers plan for career opportunities in robotics is now live from Robotic Industries Association. more...

Educator Sponsors Honored by RIA

The Robotic Industries Association honors fourteen member companies for their sponsorship of institutions with an Educator/Researcher membership in RIA. more...

New Safety & Compliance Page Provides Resources on Robotics Online

A new safety and compliance page compiling an extensive library of information about robot safety is now available. RIA, the secretariat of the ANSI/RIA R15.06 National Robot Safety Standard, provides free access to the page which includes links to a webinar on Robot Safety Awareness, case studies, articles and resources about training. A new RSS "safety feed" is also available from the page to help people keep track of all the news about robot safety. View the new Robotics Online Safety & Compliance page.

Automate 2013

(Chicago, IL - January 21-24, 2013)

Automate 2013 Show and Conference is the premier event for robots, vision, motion control and related automation solutions in North America. The event will be held January 21-24 2013 at Chicago's McCormick Place and will once again collocate with ProMat, a major material handling and logistics show.

The collocation aims to help end users find solutions to their manufacturing and supply chain challenges and will be the largest international event and conference of its kind ever held in the U.S. The collocated events are expected to attract over 825 exhibitors to showcase their solutions to some 30,000 professionals from over 100 countries in industries such as warehousing/distribution, automotive, alternative energy, consumer goods, defense, food and beverage, electronics, lab automation, medical, pharmaceutical, plastics, printing, security, semiconductors and more.

Automation can help current and potential users improve productivity, boost product quality, speed-time- to market, reduce costs and become stronger global competitors. The Automate event educates attendees on how automation solutions can achieve these goals. Automate Show visitors attend to see new products and technologies, keep up-to-date on automation industry trends and to find suppliers for their funded or soon-to-be funded projects.

For more information on exhibiting, contact Kathleen Straight (+1-734-994-6088) or visit www.automate2013.com.

Automate 2013 is sponsored by A3, the Association for Advancing Automation, the umbrella trade association for the Robotic Industries Association (RIA), AIA, and the Motion Control Association (MCA), whose mission is to be the global advocate for the benefits of automation.

Robot Safety Compliance Training Trio Set for Spring/Summer in U.S.

(Troy, MI - May 30; Mansfield, TX - June 5; Seattle, WA - July 25, 2012)

Regional robot safety training seminars will be conducted by RIA in new locations throughout the U.S. in three upcoming consecutive months. Each seminar begins with R15.06 Robot Safety Standard training, followed by a session on Risk Assessment. Seminars looks towards the requirements as anticipated in the new R15.06 Standard document as contained in the new ISO 10218 Standards.

View Robot Safety Training Seminars: Troy, MI (May 30); Mansfield, TX (June 5); Seattle, WA (July 25)

Get More on Robotics Via RIA Blog

Check out the place where the robotics community is drawn to for posts, comments, guest-blogs and connecting with others in the industrial robotics industry and more: Robotics in America Blog.

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2012 Robotics Online Editorial Calendar: Topics, Submit an Article, Advertising, More

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Download and discover the full range of online ads, webinars, newsletter sponsorships, statistics and more.

Let RIA Help You Grow Your Business: Membership Counts

Did you know that membership has been soaring over the recent months? Now some 270 organizations strong! Join other industry leaders who have joined RIA and start taking advantage of membership benefits, including extensive resources and programs offered exclusively to members. View full membership details, including an online application, and join today or contact RIA at +1-734-94-6088.

Stäubli, France - IFR-Partner

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:19:47 +0000

March 2012 Stäubli Robotics is introducing the TP80 Fast Picker, a new series of high-speed pickers that deliver greater speeds, up to 200 picks per minute, and more flexibility at a lower cost to the packaging market. Stäubli has long set the standard for high speed and precision in robotic performance, ensuring the highest possible throughput and shortest cycle times. This new robot represents the latest innovation - one that is more agile and lightweight while delivering extremely fast cycle times and maintaining high precision with homogeneous repeatability "throughout the entire work envelope," unlike rival delta robots. A simple base or wall mounting eliminates the need for a large, costly gantry, further enhancing the robot's cost effectiveness and ease of integration. Additional advantages include a slim forearm for moving into slotted machine openings as well as harness and user lines feed-through the Z-axis that are all internal. The TP80 Fast Picker is also competitively priced, offering an economical alternative for numerous applications without sacrificing quality, durability or performance. The TP80 robot is available in a 4 axis version, offering great flexibility depending on the user?s needs. Standard features include a maximum payload of 1 kg; 200 picks per minute (sustained); 800 mm reach, and a Z - axis stroke of 100 mm. Additional features include very high rigidity, repeatability of +/- 0.05 mm and IP65 Protection Class when equipped with bellows. User lines such as pneumatic (4 and 6 mm) and electrical lines (4 twisted shielded pairs) are protected inside the arm and are available at the tool flange. Optional features include 2 solenoid valves, user installation and bellows. The TP80 is controlled by the CS8 controller series, a single control platform able to pilot all Stäubli robots. Various VAL software packages are available and perfectly suited for all: end users, integrators, OEMs and machine builders. In addition to packaging, the robot is ideally suited to the needs of industries such as PV/solar power, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods and food, to name a few. Typical applications include high-speed pick and place, assembly, material handling, packaging and machine tending.

Danish Technological Institute, Denmark - IFR R&D Institute

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:05:13 +0000

March 2012

The three intensive forum days at ERF2012 were concluded on Wednesday the 7th of March. Researchers, representatives from the robot industry and a number of official representatives from the European Commission - 550 in total - visited the forum and participated in the more than 40 workshops. Many expressed great satisfaction with their participation.

Here is a quick retrospective overview of the forum

[Day One] Shortly after the official opening, attended by the Danish Minister of Science, Innovation and Higher Education, the entire area surrounding the European Robotics Forum 2012 was buzzing with life. People were walking, chatting, working, and attending workshops. The forum had begun!

[Day Two] With most people arrived and settled in, the delegates now devoted themselves to attending workshops. The program offered six tracks, fully packed with interesting workshops stretching over more than ten hours. A cosy candle-lit conference dinner was held in the evening, nicely rounding off a busy day at ERF2012.

[Day Three] The third and final day of ERF2012 continued in the spirit of the two first days with 14 interesting workshops, keeping the delegates busy. Judging from the mixture of acknowledging smiles, quiet conversations, cheerful discussions, and thoughtful expressions filling the premises in Odense, the delegates were truly enjoying the opportunity to extend their network and create new working collaborations.

[Media coverage] The European Robotics Forum 2012 received great media coverage, especially at the opening day. ERF2012 featured in the major Danish radio and TV news channels - DR and TV2 - as well as numerous web-based news sources. Watch some of the clips.

ABB, Sweden - IFR-Partner

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:21:40 +0000

March 2012

ABB's design concept for a small parts assembly robot, nicknamed FRIDA (Flexible Robot Industrial Dual Arm), has won the prestigious red dot "best of the best" product design award within the workplace category at this year's awards ceremony in Singapore. The annual red dot award is a competition for design concepts and prototypes held annually in Singapore. The award is an internationally renowned seal of quality, judged by design industry heavyweights. The prestigious red dot "best of the best" award is presented to only the most outstanding design concepts. This year, 3,536 projects from 54 countries were presented to the jury. After due deliberation, 252 concepts were awarded the red dot - 43 were honoured with the "red dot: best of the best" for outstanding design quality. "Winning a red dot award is tremendously prestigious for us and we are honoured to receive this recognition of our work," says Per-Vegard Nerseth, manager of ABB's Robotics business unit. "ABB prides itself on developing leading edge and disruptive technologies. Our vision was to design a safe high-tech robot with innovative design features that allows it to work closely with humans. This global recognition of the ABB team's achievements fully endorses this approach and we will continue to work on developing this concept." Please watch movie above.

ABB, Sweden - IFR-Partner

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:00:05 +0000

March 2012

ABB has provided a turnkey automated welding line for China's newest and technically most advanced automotive factory. The highly flexible solution enables different car models to be produced on the same line and performs 4,000 welding operations that are 25 percent faster and 30 percent stronger than conventional welding. The welding line is installed at Great Wall Motors' (GWM) recently opened and internationally acclaimed automotive plant in Tianjin, China. Inaugurated in August 2011, the new factory has a production capacity of 250,000 units a year. This will triple to 800,000 units when later phases of the factory are completed in 2015, making the facility one of the largest automobile manufacturing sites in the world. The factory is producing several different vehicle models, including the latest version of GWM's highly successful Haval sport utility vehicle (SUV), which has been China's best-selling SUV in domestic and export markets for the past eight consecutive years. One of the factory's most highly publicized and productive manufacturing lines is the ABB welding line, which comprises among other things a fleet of ABB robots and patented ABB framing and hemming technologies. The line comprises 30 work stations and 27 ABB IRB 6640 and IRB 7600 robots, which perform more than 4,000 welding operations on the car body at uniquely high levels of accuracy, speed, consistency and shock resistance - key requirements not only for factory productivity but for the safety and quality of the final product. Equipped with ABB servo guns, the robots perform each welding operation 25 percent faster than traditional pneumatic guns and with 30 percent more shock resistance than common braze welding. The cycle time for welding an entire Haval SUV is just 86 seconds, including transfer between stations.

Patented precision welding

One of the differentiating features of the welding line is ABB's patented FlexFramer car body assembly system, which welds the roof, underbody and bodysides together to create the main frame of the vehicle. Robust IRB 7600 robots, which can handle material weighing up to 500 kg, hold the panels securely and accurately in place while IRB 6640 robots perform the welding. FlexFramer is designed for extreme precision repeat welding and can quickly switch production from one car model to another. In addition to supplying the robots and FlexFramer, ABB also supplied all the welding fixtures, roller bed (to transfer the car body), robot welding guns, robot grippers, control system, and its patented roller hemming technology, which hems together the outer and inner panels of the doors, hood and decklid. Great Wall Motors considers the ABB solution a huge success, and has recently ordered an additional 11 robots from ABB to convert the few manual stations on the line to robot based, thus making the line fully automated from one end to the other. ABB's FlexFramer car body assembly system on the GWM
welding line (left). The Haval H6 sport utility vehicle (right).
Haval has been China's best-selling SUV in domestic and
export markets for the past eight consecutive years.

KUKA, Germany - IFR Partner

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:26:38 +0000

Founded in 1951 and headquartered in Stadtallendorf/Germany, Fritz Winter Eisengießerei GmbH & Co. KG is a leading manufacturer of cast iron parts for the automotive industry. Around 2,000 tonnes of castings are supplied daily - for brakes, chassis, engines and hydraulic systems. Customers include major manufacturers of cars, commercial vehicles, engines, transmissions, axles, hydraulic systems and heating systems. Work is primarily carried out on robot-assisted production lines. With its payload capacity of 1,000 kilograms, the KUKA KR 1000 titan ensures greater productivity in the core shop. With around 3,200 employees at the Stadtallendorf location and annual sales of about EUR500 million, the family-owned company of Fritz Winter is the largest independent foundry in Europe. The most challenging process at Fritz Winter is the casting of engine blocks with a wall thickness of only three millimeters. This makes vehicles lighter, which saves fuel and helps protect the environment.

Automation of the washing process: KUKA robots make work easier for the employees and increase the capacity

In the extreme foundry conditions, exceptionally heavy loads such as casting cores weighing several hundred kilos need to be moved as efficiently, safely and precisely as possible - a task of almost unmanageable proportions for human workers. For this reason, it was decided to automate the washing process at Fritz Winter Eisengießerei GmbH & Co. KG with KUKA robots. The use of robots improves ergonomics and reduces the strain on the worker, while increasing the process quality at the same time. Speed was one of the decisive factors: "The decisive impetus for equipping Core Shop 14 with automation technology was without a doubt the expansion of our capacity. Even in three-shift operation, we were no longer able to produce the required quantities," explains Michael Kläs, Head of Production at Fritz Winter. The washing process automated using the KR 1000 titan enables the casting cores, which were previously transferred linearly, now to be moved in various directions. "A totally new kind of robotic automation for foundry environments has been created here," says Ralph Nitsche, Foundry expert at KUKA Roboter GmbH. The result: significant time savings and the safe and careful draining of the entire wash out of the cores.

Optimal draining of the wash

While previously only a maximum of 120 core packages could be washed per shift using the linear handling system, today a KUKA KR 1000 titan robot picks up the 500 kg core packages from a conveyor tower and dips them smoothly into the coating bath. After dipping, the titan robot moves the core package in all three axis directions, one after the other, thereby guaranteeing optimal draining of the wash. For the subsequent drying process, the KUKA robot places the core package on a conveyor pallet. The packages are then moved fully automatically through a drying oven and are deposited after a short cooling phase in a high-bay storage unit. "Using a robot for a washing process in this high weight category is unique," explains Joachim Rotzinger, Managing Director of ROBOTEC Engineering GmbH from Bad Säckingen, whose team implemented the project for the foundry with a custom-tailored controller. The robotic application makes it possible to increase the production of core packages in the core shop to as many as 300 units per shift.

Simple gripper change

The great flexibility allows the operator to convert the system quickly to meet new challenges. The KR 1000 titan can adapt its gripper to the different core package sizes. It can also change its gripper quickly and easily - a range of grippers are available in a gripper rack. The KR 1000 titan, which is even listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's strongest robot, is not only able to lift exceptionally heavy loads, but also to position them with utmost precision. It bridges distances of up to 6.5 meters with ease. Its strength lies in its compact design that optimally utilizes the workspace and allowed space-saving and cost-efficient integration into the system. The operating software for the automated system is based on the familiar user interface employed at Fritz Winter, which makes it quick and easy for the workers to use. "Anyone operating a foundry today can no longer dispense with robots," affirms Ralph Nitsche. "A key factor in the face of global competition is to increase the capacity of a core shop like the one at Fritz Winter. A robot system will always be cost-effective!"

Schunk, Germany - IFR Partner

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:02:17 +0000

March 2012

The Powerball concept from SCHUNK, the competence leader for clamping technology and gripping systems, takes another step forward: With the fifth generation lightweight arm, the pioneer of modular robotics presents an especially compact and flexible aid for stationary and mobile applications in service robotics and industrial handling. The powerful lightweight module from the innovative family-owned company features a weight/payload ratio of 2:1 and is one of the most high-power lightweight arms in the world. At a dead weight of 12 kg, it can dynamically handle loads of up to 6 kg, and has a gripping radius of more than 700 mm. Due to the compact design of the front end, or wrist joint, the arm can be easily maneuvered in close spaces. Its excellent repeat accuracy of 0.06 mm provides for high process stability for demanding measuring and testing tasks. Also, the intelligent design prevents dangerous crushing and shearing movements, making it safe to use around people as well.

Central elements of the lightweight arm are three compact ERB Powerball modules, which combine the movements of two axes. The entire electronic control and regulation circuitry is integrated in the joint drives. Position, speed, and torque can be flexibly regulated. An innovative quick-change system with integrated signal feed-through allows for fast and easy commissioning of the Plug & Performance gripping system. Since the supply lines for gripper and tools are completely within the module, there are no interfering cables on the peripheral devices. Due to the integrated intelligence, universal communication interfaces and cable technology for data transfer and power supply, the arm can be quickly and easily integrated in existing control concepts. The manipulator is supplemented by an industrial robot controller with an integrated CoDeSys PLC. Teaching and instruction is made easy by means of a hand-held control panel with a touch-screen display.

24 V DC supply voltage enables mobile use as well as use at changing locations. Consistent lightweight construction and the state-of-the-art torque motors keep the energy demands of the lightweight arm down to an average of 80 W. That lowers energy costs, provides for longer work periods when using rechargeable batteries, and also allows the use of small-format batteries. The lightweight arm has the potential to pave the way for broad-scale applications.

Reis, Germany - IFR-Partner

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:44:05 +0000

March 2012 The base material cuttings for printed circuit boards are very individual products. Though they always look similar, there are neither standard formats nor standard designs. This means that every format must be cut to customer-specific size from large raw material panels for further processing. It also means that in the past workers had a lot to lift for loading the machines. Technolam, one of the three leading suppliers for base materials in Europe, automated the supply to the automatic cutting machines using robots from Reis. "We feel obliged to take responsibility for the operating ergonomics for our mostly long-term staff members and to relieve them from laborious tasks as far as possible," says company founder and general manager Günter Fuchs. "Base materials" are glass fiber reinforced panels coated with thin copper foil on both sides.These are the most important starting materials for printed circuit boards. Manufactured as plates with surfaces of 2,2 to 2,7 m², they must be divided into customized formats - mostly between 0,15 - 0,30 m². The thickness of these base materials is normally 0,05 - 3,20 mm. After dividing of the raw panels, the cut edges are milled, the cut corners are rounded, and every single cut is marked using laser or ink jet printing. <>

TECHNOLAM delivers innovative and eco-friendly base materials in very high quality. These include FR4-rigids, thin core laminates, multilayers and prepregs from Nan Ya. The base materials are manufactured in Nan Ya's production center in Taiwan which leverages full raw material integration. This means, from glass yarn, glass fabric, copper foil, epoxy resin and flame retardants to the finished base material. Then the well-known circuit elements with visible conductive pathways etched from the base material are generated in the following processing steps at Technolam customers. Then the assembly follows with insertion of the active components via soldering or SMD, and finally the last step is the installation of the connection terminals.

Printed circuit boards are not at all associated with high weight, but for the base material at the start product of printed circuit boards, quite significant masses accumulate as they come together which, for the most part until middle of the year 2010, had to be moved by hand by Technolam workers. So a stack of customer's cut format and a height of approx. 40 mm can weigh up to 20 - 30 kg. Since customer's orders are cut from the raw plates with as little waste as possible, the stacks have to be taken "in the hand" before and after the cut so altogether up to 35 tons have to be moved daily step by step. This meant masses of 6 - 10 tons per day in total for individual workers. Günter Fuchs adds: "We want to employ our staff as long as possible, who over the years gather a high level of know-how on processing the base material.So we already started developing our first concept on automated handling with robots in the beginning of 2010."

The challenge: Pick and place individual formats

Every Technolam customer orders base material in the optimum format for him for further processing. There are no standard formats that can be produced in large quantities again and again. For generation of requested formats, they are either sawn from the base material or cut using the guillotine. Thicker materials are more suitable for sawing. Where thinner materials are concerned Technolam processes them on a cross cutter from Robust, which is designed very similar to plate shears or the well-known paper cutter. It allows very exact cuts, even for thin material which is almost similar to a foil. Reworking of edges is hardly necessary with this procedure. Turning within the system allows cutting of the x- and y-side. The challenge with loading of this machine was the highly precise alignment. Robots were to ease the supply of the pallets into the system and stacking of the cut printed circuit boards. The customer requirements regarding quality are very high, not only concerning the base material, but also regarding processing. No bends, waves or fingermarks are tolerated. "The cut dimensions often differ only by one single millimeter, but that is sufficient to be magnified in the handling," says plant manager Horst Roden. "That's the reason why we had to make final decisions for selection of potential system suppliers very early in the planning stage. For us it was important to choose a supplier who was not only in a position to meet our special requirements, but could also deliver the complete solution from robot and automation technology to the fixture from one source. Separation of the base material boards was a real challenge especially for thin materials, because the loading and unloading of the almost infinite base material cut formats had to be possible with one solution."

Solution: Two robots with individual gripper system

Due to the different raw panel formats the gripper system is of special importance for picking the plates, because the point is always to only pick one plate in safe manner and position if very exactly on the cutting machine from Robust before it takes over further processing and further transport. Mr. Roden highly appreciates the fact that Reis Robotics develops and produces gripper systems individually because it ensures that all systems will cooperate in an optimum manner. Every printed circuit board no matter how thin, or even foil when talking about ultra-thin materials, is aligned exactly and then picked. For this purpose, pneumatic vacuum suction cups are distributed over the whole area with the dimensions of the maximum raw panel format. Every panel is aligned in several steps at exactly one corner angle using locating angles and sensors. Only then does the robot finally pick the part for placing it on the supply unit of the Robust cutting machine. To keep the change-over times short, two pallet stations with raw panels, both in the robot work envelope, are available for material supply in the processing cell. After cutting another Reis robot with same gripper equipment unloads the cut material and stacks it onto pallets in the requested way, either all on one stack or in several stacks next to each other depending on programming in X-Y configurations. For Horst Roden an advantage for cooperation with Reis Robotics is that the company already closely cooperated with Robust in other projects. The target was to relieve the workers not only of heavy lifting tasks, but to design the complete system so flexible that it is suitable for all format requirements and thus is safe for the future. So programming by Reis and Robust was a basic pre-requisite for the success of the project. A major attraction was that with the input of the requested cut formats on the Robust control panel the two robots were also controlled. No settings are necessary at the Reis portable teach pendant or any other operator panel. The complete sequences have been simplified to a maximum. "Robot and cutting machine are synchronized via a parameter database without any further help.

Result

After a project duration of about eight months the system went into production in spring 2011. "Even if calculation of the payback is not so easy, we are glad that we could largely increase working conditions for our staff again. As a whole, such an investment results in a lower level of staff illness, and at the same time we increased the production capacities because the demand for our base material cuts is still always rising due to new applications on the electronic sector. And we are proud of not having had to dismiss a single employee because they now take over other jobs due to their higher qualification," Günter Fuchs says finally. Horst Roden adds: "After the positive experience, also in cooperation with the experts from Reis, further improvements are already being planned on the ergonomics field using automation. Robots are considerably more flexible in application than classical loading and unloading systems, like we use them at the sawing and cutting systems." In all, Technolam is very satisfied with the cooperation with Reis Robotics. Good experience and keeping all promises today are not always usual for all business partners. This application is an example for automation in the different fields being suitable for not only speeding up operating sequences, but also for systematically increasing ergonomics for the staff and thus protecting their health.

The articulated-arm robot series is the most important robot
kinematics for industrial use. As 6-axes universal robots with
high path speeds and large work envelopes the RV-robots are
especially suited for the high demands of path-related tasks.
The design based on FEM and CAD stands out due to its
excellent static and dynamic behavior.

Author: Stephan H. Gursky

Robot Manufacturers at AUTOMATICA

Wed, 7 Mar 2012 13:05:16 +0000

AUTOMATICA has become established as the leading innovation platform of the automation industry after only four events and is one of the world's largest robotics fair. The number of current registrations for AUTOMATICA 2012, which will take place on the grounds of the New Munich Trade Fair Centre from 22 to 25 May 2012, is higher than the figures for the previous fair. The IFR Secretariat and Statistical Department will also present their products and services at this important trade show. Please visit us in Hall B3, booth 528. The fair will be presenting innovative and integrated solutions for every technical manufacturing challenge. Among these exhibitors are the following IFR Members:

Name/ Location	Displayed Products
ABB Automation Hall B2, 321	ABB will display a comprehensive portfolio of innovative robots including the world famous ABB FlexPicker, for high-speed picking and packing applications, and the award winning ABB dual-arm concept robot for small parts assembly. Integration is one of the key factors in providing manufacturers with efficient robot-based automation. ABB will exemplify this by showing examples of fully integrated robot systems for a wide range of applications including welding, handling, machine tending, dispensing, painting, assembly and press tending.
AUTOMATE 2013 Hall B3, 104	Come visit us and discover the advantages of participating in the Automate 2013 Show and Conference, the premier event for robots, vision, motion control and related automation solutions in North America. The event will be held January 21-24 2013 at Chicago's McCormick Place and will again collocate with ProMat, a major material handling and logistics show. The collocated events are expected to attract over 825 exhibitors to showcase their solutions to some 30,000 professionals from over 100 countries in a wide range of industries. Visit Automate 2013 (www.automate2013.com) for more details.	Sponsored by
Epson Deutschland GmbH Hall B2, 318	The robot revolution by Epson: thanks to unique engineering, the Epson Spider is not only extremely compact and incredibly fast-moving. It also makes 100% use of the maximum envelope of its arm length ? without any ?dead space?- Trust a partner who knows the ropes and designs your production processes even more efficiently. Epson Factory Automation, a pioneer in robotics
Panasonic Industrial Devices Sales Europe GmbH Hall B2, 328	Industrial robots with different sizes cover a wide range of applications, like Welding, Cutting, Picking and Palletizing. All robots are available with or without integrated power source. The new heavy load robot has a payload of 165kg. Positioners offer a compact design, high accuracy and maximum flexibility. Weld Navigation for easier and faster weld development.
Schunk GmbH & Co. KG Hall A2, 103	As the world?s first manufacturer, SCHUNK the competence leader for clamping technology and gripping systems bundles a range of mechatronic gripping, rotary, and linear modules in one single system program. Regardless if the solution involves simple pneumatic alternatives, modules with integrated intelligence or adaptable, mechanic modules, the vast mechatronic program of the innovative family-owned company is setting new efficiency standards in terms of handling and assembly. Moreover, SCHUNK presents numerous more benchmarks of future robot applications.
VDMA Hall A1, 138	BLUecoMPETENCE interconnects the mechanical engineering industry in the area of sustainability. The aim is to pool the resources, expertise, know-how, and strengths of all of the stakeholders in the VDMA in order to bolster and expand our joint position as the global technology leader in the segment of sustainable production and products. MORE
Yaskawa Europe GmbH Hall B2, 320	YASKAWA provides an exceptionally comprehensive line of high quality solutions for the automation industry branded YASKAWA and MOTOMAN. YASKAWA offers the widest range of robots, including application specific robots for arc welding, spot welding, picking, packing, palletising, material handling, painting and clean-room applications, with payloads ranking from 2 to 800 kg. With the newly developed MPP3 delta robot, YASKAWA has supplemented its range of high-performance MOTOMAN industrial robots with the component required for versatile picking applications. This robot combines the speed of the delta design with the high payload capacity, large working envelope and process reliability associated with the name MOTOMAN worldwide.

Additional IFR Members at AUTOMATICA

Company	Location
Adept Technology GmbH	Hall B2, 311
Comau S.p.A.	Hall B2, 310
DENSO EUROPE B.V.	Hall B2, 317
Danish Technological Institute	Hall B3, 339
Fanuc Robotics	Hall B2, 331
Fraunhofer IPA	Hall B3, 331
Güdel	Hall B3, 121
KUKA Roboter GmbH	Hall B3, 211
OTC Daihen Europe	Hall B2, 508
Reis Robotics GmbH & Co. KG	Hall B3, 103
Spinea	Hall B1, 107
Stäubli	Hall B2, 319

RIA, USA - IFR Industry Association

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:07:48 +0000

February 2, 2012 - North American robotics companies sold more robots in 2011 than ever before, according to new statistics from Robotic Industries Association (RIA), the industry's trade group.

A total of 19,337 robots valued at $1.17 billion were sold to companies in North America, beating the previous record of 18,228 robots sold in 2005. When sales by North American robot suppliers to companies outside North America are included, the totals are 22,126 robots valued at $1.35 billion.

Compared to 2010, North American orders were up 47% in units and 38% in dollars. Helping fuel the increase was revitalized demand by the automotive industry, said Paul Kellett, Director of Market Analysis for RIA. "Robots sold to automotive component suppliers in North America jumped 77% over 2010, while robots sold to automotive OEMs increased.59%," he noted.

Sales to non-automotive customers grew 27%, led by metalworking industries (+56%) and semiconductor/electronics/photonics (+24%).

In terms of applications, big increases were seen in spot welding (+78%), arc welding (+66%), assembly (+63%), coating & dispensing (+42%) and material handling (+30%).

The fourth quarter of 2011 was the strongest quarter ever recorded by RIA (the association began reporting data in 1984) in terms of units ordered with 5,721 robots valued at $317.5 million. The fourth quarter was up 61% in units and 40% in dollars over the same period in 2010.

"The growing interest in automation combined with the strengthening of North American manufacturing industries, particularly automotive, contributed to a great year for the robotics industry," said Jeff Burnstein, President of RIA.

"We sensed this early in the year when we had a very strong Automate 2011 show in Chicago in March. Current users were telling us they were looking to purchase more robots, vision systems and related products and people who had never purchased a robot were showing strong interest in near-term purchases," Burnstein added.

"Robot suppliers and integrators told us they were running full-out to meet customer demand and one of the limiting factors was a shortage of qualified application engineers and other technical people needed to develop and integrate new applications," Burnstein noted.

"I think another factor we saw in 2011 was the decision by many US manufacturing companies to keep manufacturing at home by automating, and in some cases, bringing back manufacturing that had previously been sent overseas," said John Dulchinos, President & CEO at Adept Technology, Pleasanton, California and Chair of RIA?s Statistical Collection Committee.

RIA estimates that some 213,000 robots are now at use in United States factories, placing the US second only to Japan in robot use. "Many observers believe that only about 10% of the US companies that could benefit from robots have installed any so far," Burnstein said.

Founded in 1974, RIA represents some 265 companies, including leading robot manufacturers, component suppliers, system integrators, end users, research groups and consulting firms. RIA's quarterly statistics report is based on data supplied by member companies representing an estimated 90% of the North American market.

What will 2012 hold? Burnstein said RIA does not make robotics sales forecasts but he believes that if the economy remains strong we should be looking at another good year for the robotics industry.

"Companies in every industry are now recognizing more than ever before that robotics provide unique benefits in terms of improved quality, productivity, flexibility, time to market, and overall cost savings," said Burnstein. "We believe the future for robotics is very bright." RIA members can login to the Member Control Panel to access the complete 2011 RIA Deluxe Statistics Report along with previous reports. For more information about the RIA statistics and the robotics industry, or about membership to access the full report, visit: www.robotics.org or contact RIA Headquarters at +1-734-994-6088.

euRobotics Forum 2012 in Denmark

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:48:50 +0000

17 February 2012 During 5-7 March 2012, the European robotics community will come together at the 2012 European Robotics Forum in Odense, Denmark. More than 300 participants are expected to attend this event, ranging from robotics and cognitive system researchers, entrepreneurs, system integrators and end users, to public and private investors and robotics companies.

The small town of Odense in the center of Denmark will this year be the venue for the annual European Robotics Forum. The Danish Technological Institute (DTI) is hosting this prestigious event, which for the third time is jointly organized by members of the two leading robotics networks EUROP (European Robotics Technology Platform) and EURON (European Robotics Research Network). The European Robotics Forum is co-organized and supported by the euRobotics Coordination Action, funded by the European Commission within the 7th Framework Program.

"The Forum represents one of the most important annual events for the members of the robotics community to share and expand their knowledge and gather new connections", says Herman Bruyninckx, coordinator of EURON.

Workshops and Seminars
The 3-day event gives robotics stakeholders the opportunity to discuss the future of robotics related business and research, expand their networks and gather the latest relevant news. More than 30 different workshops and seminars are offered, covering a wide range of subjects within the fields of industrial applications, professional and domestic service robotics as well as security and space related projects. The subjects to be discussed not only cover robotics and cognitive research, technology and business, but also important side topics, such as entrepreneurship, education, as well as legal, ethical and societal challenges.

"For any engineer, scientist or businessman involved in robotics the annual European Robotics Forum is an excellent opportunity to get informed and discuss the latest robotics news and developments, concerning both the technology and the market", says Bernd Liepert EUROP President from KUKA, Germany. "The yearly meeting is also an important strategic event that helps strengthen industry-academia collaboration and sharpens the view of public and private investors for the future of the robotics business."

Along with the community organized workshops and seminars, the forum is accompanied by a robotics exhibition, which will be open to the public. Here the newest developments will be on display and visitors will have the chance to meet innovators, companies and researchers to learn more about projects and products.

Towards new Horizons
The motto of this year?s European Robotics Forum is "Towards new horizons". This motto is a recurring theme of several workshops of the event where industrial and academic participants will discuss the future of robotics research, technology development and innovation programs in Europe. Here, the upcoming European framework program for research and innovation, named "Horizon 2020", will play an important role for the future of European robotics.
This framework program is related to the EU's growth strategy "Europe 2020", which aims at five ambitious objectives - on employment, innovation, education, social inclusion and climate/energy - to be reached by 2020. To ensure that robotics can significantly contribute to reaching these objectives, forum participants will discuss roadmaps and work topics as input for the Horizon 2020 framework program.

All robotics stakeholders are welcome to attend the forum.

Please visit http://www.robotics-platform.eu/cms/index.php?idcat=41&idart=532 for more information about the forum and registration.

Robot sales in 2011 exceeded all expectations

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:26:20 +0000

Frankfurt, 16 February 2012 - "The success of the global robotics industry continued in 2011," said Dr. Shinsuke Sakakibara, IFR President, on Thursday in Frankfurt. "Investments in robot automation again surged in all regions!" Based on the results of the IFR Quarterly Statistics the IFR estimates that in 2011, sales of industrial robots will reach the new peak level of about 150,000 units. This would be an increase of about 30% compared to 2010. Already in 2010, sales greatly recovered from the dramatic downturn in 2009. In 2010, particularly, the automotive industry was the main driver of the strong growth. But for 2011, robot suppliers reported a considerable increase of demand also from the general industry, i.e. all other industries without automotive. Dr. Sakakibara commented: "Thanks to the demand of emerging countries including China, the sales of factory automation apparatus are increasing. However, the growth of sales of machine tools seems to be slowing down under the influence of Europe's currency crisis and/or a Chinese tight-money policy. But, this does not apply to robots."

The use of robots guarantees dramatic improvements in quality

The IFR Vice President, Arturo Baroncelli, COMAU, Italy, added: "We were sure about a good year in 2011 but the results have been far better than the expectations. In a still unclear worldwide economic scenario one thing is certain: the use of robots always guarantees fast return of investments and dramatic improvements in terms of quality. And this is true both in car and general industry, both in emerging countries and nations having a long industrial tradition." The robotics industry is looking forward to AUTOMATICA 2012 in May in Munich, Germany, which will present automation solutions and innovations in all application areas. It is set to give the robotics and automation industry an additional boost. Also other robot suppliers confirmed this successful development. Per Vegard Nerseth, Head of ABB Robotics, Switzerland: "The recovery in the global industrial robot market that began in 2010 continued strongly through 2011 and resulted in record-breaking numbers. Growth in the automotive sector continued unabated and was strongly supported by an increased uptake in growth segments such as electronics, solar and food and beverage. We fully expect this growth to continue through 2012 with the increased demand throughout the Asia region continuing to be an important factor. Consequently, we also expect the strong trend towards a significant shift in manufacturing footprint to Asia to be maintained. I firmly believe that the value proposition of robotic solutions for manufacturers of all sizes has never been better and look forward to seeing this reflected in the continued growth of the industry." Dr. Michael Wenzel, Managing Director, Reis Group Holding, Germany: "These figures clearly show the ongoing demand for industrial automation and robotics as a key component therein. We expect this trend to continue, maybe with a reduced growth rate, which will be a result of the global economic growth rates. However, the positive development in all application fields, in automotive and general industry and in all regions shows that the robotics industry has a broad market base and a high potential for further growth." Manfred Gundel, IFR Board Member and CEO KUKA Roboter Germany: "The year 2011 was one of the most successful years in the history of the KUKA Robot Group. We increased the turnover in the robotics division again by 40%. With this regard, China was the most rapidly growing robot market. In 2011, we saw a considerable increased demand among all manufacturing industries after 2010 when the automotive industry was the main driver of the growth. Therefore, we decided to increase our production capacities. The potential for robot use is enormous. I am sure, that the global mega trends like sustainability, increasing industrialization and the demographic shift will boost the robotics industry." Olaf C. Gehrels, President FANUC Luxembourg Corporation: "FANUC's Robot division in Europe has experienced a tremendous growth in 2011, achieving record booking levels. Despite the sluggish European economies, demand for yellow robots continuous to be high in the automotive industry as well as in general industry, making FANUC the preferred supplier in most European markets. We forecast a further substantial growth for 2012 and beyond. To support our world-wide expansion, FANUC Corp. Japan increased its robot production platform in 2011 to a staggering level of 60.000 units per year. " Manfred Stern, President & COO Yaskawa Europe, Germany: "2011 was a record year for Yaskawa robots in terms of growth for both sales and bookings. This global trend was also seen in Europe, where our sales have grown in the range of some 40%. The demand was mainly driven by the automotive sector, including Tier 1 customers. The demand for 2012 is still high despite of the softening of the general economic environment. A significant growth is expected from applications like 'Packaging, Picking and Placing', 'Assembly', 'Material Handling' and 'Medical / Life Science', based on our Dual Arm Robots and the recently launched Delta Robot." Dr. Hans Schumacher, President & CEO, Dürr Systems, Germany: "2011 was the best year of the company history - in all business sectors. In the area of application technology, we sold for example 1,800 painting and sealing robots; in the last years before, the number was on average 500-700. In addition, we could report the sale of the 6,000th painting robot." Jeff Burnstein, President, Robotic Industries Association, USA: "The growing interest in automation combined with the strengthening of North American manufacturing industries, particularly automotive, contributed to a great year for the robotics industry." John Dulchinos, President & CEO, Adept Technology, USA: "I think another factor we saw in 2011 was the decision by many US manufacturing companies to keep manufacturing at home by automating, and in some cases, bringing back manufacturing that had previously been sent overseas." Mike Bomya, President, Nachi Robotic Systems Inc., USA "For the world-wide group companies of Nachi-Fujikoshi's robot division, 2011 continued the strong recovery that commenced in 2010. Shipped units world-wide increased nearly 80% and in the North American region the growth was over 70%. The Automotive sector was the most important driver for the improved turnover, but emerging manufacturing economies also made significant contribution. The general industry segment is experiencing a good rebound and a growing acceptance of robotic solutions as a key to cost competitive manufacturing. Our expectations for 2012 are quite optimistic - for the North American market, new investments in Mexico will figure prominently in the growth." Do you still have questions? Gudrun Litzenberger, IFR Statistical Department, Telephone +49 69 66 03-1502 is ready to answer.

New IFR Association Member

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 13:06:51 +0000

We are glad to welcome our new IFR Association member MYRAIG the Malaysia Robotics and Automation Interest Group located in Serdang, Malaysia. MYRAIG was established in the year 2010 as a special interest group under the Malaysia Society of Engineering and Technology (mySET). The committee of MYRAIG consist of professionals from the government, academic and industry sectors.

RIA, USA - IFR Industry Association

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 13:05:09 +0000

19 January 2012 Catherine Morris, Senior Account Manager, ATI Industrial Automation, Apex, NC, has been named the first woman Chair of Robotic Industries Association (RIA), the industry trade group representing more than 265 companies involved in robotics in North America. Morris becomes RIA's 20th Chair since its founding in 1974, succeeding Dean Elkins of Yaskawa Motoman, who served as Chair in 2010 and 2011. Elkins remains on the RIA Board as Past Chair. Ms. Morris was first elected to the RIA Board in 2003 and most recently served as the Board's First Vice Chair. She is a Past Chair and current member of the RIA Membership Committee and also chairs the show committee for Automate 2013, RIA's flagship event. She has been an account manager with ATI for 16 years, with a primary focus on key OEMs and automotive customers. In addition to being RIA's first woman Chair, she also is the first to represent a component supplier company. Previous Chairs have either represented robot manufacturer or system integrator companies. "I hope to bring a new perspective and energy to the Chair role," said Morris. "I'm passionate about robotics and know that automation is the key to our country's future economic success. My primary focus as Chair will be to expand the Automate 2013 trade show and conference in order to spread the message about why and how companies can benefit by automating. Additionally, I will focus on making our new Certified Robotic Integrator program a success. This will have enormous benefit to integrators and end users alike and will lead to more successful automation systems. Finally, I will focus on strengthening the links between RIA and the educational community. In order to get students excited about robotics and automation and prepare them for future career opportunities, RIA will work more closely with community colleges and universities that offer automation courses," said Morris. "I am truly honored and humbled by the confidence placed in me by my mentors and peers and will do my best to lead our industry forward. I want companies of all types and sizes to recognize the importance of being a vital part of their industry's trade association," Morris explained. Morris and Past Chair Elkins are joined on the RIA Executive Committee by First Vice Chair Stu Shepherd of KUKA Robotics, Second Vice Chair John Dulchinos of Adept Technology, Secretary Curtis Richardson of Spirit Aerosystems and RIA President Jeff Burnstein. The RIA Board is comprised of 19 industry leaders. Re-elected to new two year terms for 2012-13 are Joe Campbell of ABB Robotics, Mick Estes of FANUC Robotics America, and Michael Jacobs of Applied Manufacturing Technologies. Tom Tobin of Comau was elected to his first two-year term. The remaining Board members for 2012 include John Burg, Ellison Technologies Automation; Tim DeRosett, Motoman Robotics; Joe Gemma, Staubli Robotics; Joyce Guthrie, USPS; Dana Komin, General Motors; Kevin Lambton, Pepperidge Farm; Mark Lewandowski, Procter & Gamble; Scot Lindemann, JR Automation; and Steve Rock, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

IEEE SMC 2012

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:27:09 +0000

The 2012 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (IEEE SMC 2012) provides an international forum for researchers and practitioners to report the latest innovations, summarize the state-of-the-art, and exchange ideas and advances in all aspects of systems engineering, human-machine systems, and emerging cybernetics.

ROBOTIK 2012

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:15:55 +0000

ROBOTIK presents innovative and well-engineered robot applications in combination with new visions and future trends of the German robot community.

European Robotics Week 2012

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:02:47 +0000

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.

Robot World 2012

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 08:45:20 +0000

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.

Robot Safety Standard (R15.06) & Robot Risk Assessment Training Seminar-Seattle, WA

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:30:33 +0000

RIA opens its popular In-House Training seminar to the public. This one-day robot safety seminar means less training time out of the office for your employee(s) in a cost-effective one-day course format useful for training limited number of workers.

Robot Safety Standard (R15.06) & Robot Risk Assessment Training Seminar-Mansfield, TX

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:27:10 +0000

Robot Safety Standard (R15.06) & Robot Risk Assessment Training Seminar-Troy, MI

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:21:29 +0000

AUTOMATE 2013

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:16:19 +0000

Automate showcases the full spectrum of automation technologies and solutions. From traditional industrial applications to cutting edge new technologies, you'll find ways to automate every process in your company.

Assembly Techniques - Robot Basics

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:04:15 +0000

With a mix of video, easy-to-understand explanations and real-world examples, learn more about basic techniques in assembling products with robots. Efficiency concepts such as sequential, parallel, and combinatorial assembly are explained and demystified.

Robots: Vision Guidance Technology (2D)

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:01:06 +0000

Basic techniques in 2D Vision Guided Robotics (VGR) are covered. The concepts of X, Y centroids, part angles and grip offsets are introduced. Robot and vision coordinate systems are described as well as fixed and robot mounted camera calibration techniques.

Palletizing / Depalletizing - Robot Basics

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:53:28 +0000

Palletizing and depalletizing applications are described in this webinar, including various techniques and considerations.

Fundamentals of Industrial Robotics: Factory Solutions

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:52:23 +0000

Learn about different kinds of robots, their design and component makeup, basic safety considerations and integration methodologies.

Career Opportunities in Robotics

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:47:17 +0000

Find out how to advance a career where engineering meets robotics, including business, military and consumer applications.

Robotics Asia 2012 Conference

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:34:07 +0000

This event will be organised alongside the Robotics Asia 2012 Exhibition.

AUTOMEX2012

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:31:14 +0000

AutoMEX Conference 2012 is organized by the Malaysia Robotics & Automation Interest Group (myRAig), MySET.

TIROS 2012

Wed, 7 Mar 2012 11:39:35 +0000

TIROS 2012 is the biggest international robot exhibition in Taiwan

Industrial Robot Suppliers Group

Tue, 6 Mar 2012 09:53:32 +0000

The Industrial Robot Suppliers Group will meet during ISR and TIROS Show in Taipei

Service Robot Group

Tue, 6 Mar 2012 09:49:19 +0000

The Service Robot Group will meet during ISR and TIROS Show in Taipei

Research Committee Meeting

Tue, 6 Mar 2012 09:48:06 +0000

The Research Committee will meet during ISR and TIROS Show in Taipei

ROBOTICS ASIA 2012

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:27:11 +0000

Robotics Asia 2012 will be the biggest robotics show ever to be held in the region. With participation from pioneers in robotic technology, Robotics Asia aims to introduce the latest in robotics design from numerous sectors including the aeronautical, aerospace, agriculture, healthcare and education sector.