Comau’s mobile manipulator uses a Racer-5 cobot and a 1500 autonomous guided vehicle (AGV). | Source: Comau

Comau has been developing a mobile manipulator that is being applied within three different EU projects. 

The company’s Mobile Robotic Arm involves a robotic arm mounted on an autonomous mobile platform. The system is integrated with Comau’s Racer-5 collaborative robot (cobot), a six-axis articulated robotic arm that can work at speeds of up to 6 m/s when human operators aren’t present. The Racer-5 is mounted onto a 1500 autonomous guided vehicle (AGV). 

The system can be integrated within Comau’s digital infrastructure and can provide visual feedback for pick and place operations, and more, with its integrated vision system. This includes a Comau MI.RA that is installed directly into the robotic arm. 

The system’s AGV is equipped with two independent batteries that power the AGV and the robotic arm separately. The AGV can also be managed using different types of navigation modes and a standard Comau controller. 

Comau’s first application for the Mobile Robotic Arm is with DIMOFAC, an EU initiative that aims to help companies implement a smart factory architecture. There, the platform is used for pick and place and warehouse automation tasks within a machining scenario. 

The PeneloPe Project, another EU project, uses the platform for glue dispensing and non-destructive quality inspection in the public transport domain. The goal of the program is to develop a closed-loop, end-to-end digital manufacturing solution that facilitates bidirectional data flows across the manufacturing value chain. 

Finally, Comau’s platform is being used as part of the ODIN project to support the manipulation of mechanical parts for automotive applications with the aim of demonstrating the technical and performance feasibility of collaborative robotics on the factory floor. 

Earlier this year, Comau entered into a cooperative agreement with Siemens to offer their jointly engineered product the Sinumerik Run MyRobot / DirectControl. With this product, robot kinematics can be fully integrated into a CNC system, optimizing control of all robotic machining and handling tasks. 

Comau is based in Turin, Italy and was founded in 1973. It recently launched a new robotics learning center with Ferrari. The e.DO Learning Center will use Comau’s robots to help students explore STEM subjects, coding and robotics. The facility is equipped with five of Comau’s e.DO 6-axis robots, complete with all necessary materials and accessories.

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Collaborative robots (cobots) are one of the fastest-growing types of industrial robotics. The cobot market is moving so fast it is often difficult for current and potential end-users to keep up with the latest developments.

Collaborative Robotics Training Days is here to help. The educational series will provide a snapshot of the current state of the sector, including new capabilities, powerful enabling technologies, and real-world case studies about emerging and established cobot applications. Hearing from some of the best minds in the market, attendees will learn how to select, program, deploy, and manage collaborative robots.

A detailed agenda can be found below. Again, interested attendees can register here for free.

Collaborative Robots and Intelligent Motion Control
Speaker: Prabh Gowrisankaran, VP of Engineering & Strategy, Performance Motion Devices
March 29 at 2 PM Eastern

This session will focus on servo actuators that function as end effectors. Understanding their capabilities and properties will help ensure that your next application delivers the goods without dropping the ball.

10 Point Checklist to Benchmark Your Cobot Supplier
Speaker: Joe Campbell, Head of Strategic Marketing, Universal Robots
April 5 at 2 PM Eastern

Collaborative robots make up the fastest-growing segment of the robotics industry, thanks to their affordability and fast deployment compared to traditional robots. But not all manufacturing processes have the same outlook for cobot automation, and not all cobot suppliers are created equal.

6-Axis, SCARA or Collaborative: How to Pick the Right Robot
Speaker: Patrick Varley, Product Marketing Manager (Mechatronics), Mitsubishi Electric Automation
April 12 at 2 PM Eastern

There is a great deal of “noise” in the robotics community, as well as in the business and investment press. This results in increased risk, missed opportunities, and confusion among all members of the collaborative robotics value chain. The problem is especially acute during the selection process for collaborative robotics systems.

Palletizing and Depalletizing Using Collaborative Robots
April 25 at 2 PM Eastern

Palletizing and depalletizing are two of the most common processes in material handling. Collaborative robotics systems have proven to be very adept for palletizing and depalletizing work, protecting workers from repetitive motion injuries and reducing costs in the process.

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The OMRON TM20 cobot features a 20 kg payload and 1300 mm reach. | Credit: OMRON

OMRON extended its collaborative robot product line with the addition of the OMRON TM20 cobot. The TM20 features a 44 lb (20 kg) payload capacity with a 51-inch (1300 mm) reach.

The OMRON TM line of cobots now features six collaborative robot arms, with maximum payload capacities ranging from 13 lb (6 kg) to 44 lb (20 kg). It is designed to work seamlessly with other OMRON products, including sensors, controllers, and software, to provide a comprehensive automation solution for industrial customers. The robot is programmable with a click-and-drag method in TMflow.

Like the rest of the OMRON TM lineup, the TM20 can be deployed onboard an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) as a mobile manipulator. The robot also comes equipped with special joint covers to protect it from cutting oil and other hazardous materials, making it suitable for use in machine tending applications.

OMRON said the TM20 is well-suited for a variety of applications, but especially for palletizing. With the long reach and heaviest payload in the OMRON TM product line, it can handle most palletizing operations within its work envelope.

“We are excited to launch the OMRON TM20, which expands the capabilities of our cobot family and gives customers the ability to automate heavy payload applications,” Fernando Vaquerizo, fixed and cobots product marketing manager at OMRON Europe. “The OMRON TM20 is designed to be easy to use, reliable and safe. It relieves operators from tasks that involve heavy lifting while working safely side by side with people.”

TM20 technical specifications

• Reach (mm): 1300
• Maximum payload (kg): 20
• Maximum speed (m/s): 1.3
• Weight (kg): 33

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Packaging professionals are increasingly turning to palletizing automation to sustain productivity. Collaborative palletizing systems feature small footprints and fast implementation, which help to remove bottlenecks and mitigate ergonomic issues for workers – but where should businesses look to get started?

Join Joe Campbell, head of strategic marketing for Universal Robots, and Kendra Patton, key account manager for palletizing with Robotiq, and discover how to solve many common business challenges at end-of-line packaging operations, explore easy setup with the Robotiq Palletizing Solution, and discuss strategies to easily adapt the system to changes in your production schedule – without halting your production line for hours.

Attendees of this webinar will learn:

• The basics of collaborative robot technology and how to get started.
• Common deployment considerations for palletizing with cobots.
• Real-world case studies of manufacturers boosting productivity with collaborative robots.

Date/Time: Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at 2:00 PM EST

Sponsored by: 

Speakers

Joe Campbell is a 40-year veteran of the robotics industry. After executive assignments in sales, marketing, customer service and operations, Joe is now head of Americas marketing and applications development for Universal Robots. He regularly speaks to industry groups, associations, conferences and state and local governments on the benefits of robotic automation. 

Kendra Patton brings over seven years of robotics experience, serving as an account manager, channel sales manager, product manager, product specialist and more during her time in the industry. Patton has worked for big robotics industry players, such as Omron and ONExia before joining Robotiq in 2019. There, she works as a key account manager for palletizing. 

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A UR cobot performs a place operation. | Credit: Universal Robots

Rapid Robotics and Universal Robots (UR) just announced a new partnership. UR, a Danish company that makes collaborative robots (cobots), will supply Rapid Robotics with collaborative robot arms so that it can set up cobot work cells all over North America. This means that Rapid Robotics will be able to serve more customers and keep the quick deployment times that customers have come to expect, even as Rapid Robotics continues to grow across the country.

“As the number of unfilled, critical manufacturing roles increases and global economic uncertainty continues to impact supply chains, more and more North American manufacturers are turning to automation,” said Jordan Kretchmer, CEO and Co-Founder of Rapid Robotics. “This collaboration with UR helps us deploy more cobots, with a wider variety of capabilities, at a faster rate, ultimately helping manufacturers of all shapes and sizes manage and even thrive through the adversity they are facing.”

Robotics Summit & Expo (May 10-11) returns to Boston

Rapid Robotics is integrated with and can use any cobot from the UR product line. This makes it possible to add new functions like palletizing, box building and packing, and tasks that need a heavier payload or longer reach. Rapid Robotics will also be able to build work cells and choose peripheral equipment with more freedom.

Together, Rapid Robotics and UR also speed up cobot deployments in new ways. UR’s two-week ship program is one of the fastest in the industry, and Rapid Robotics’ powerful mix of state-of-the-art AI, advanced vision systems, and a unique software stack means robots can be up and running in customer facilities in a matter of weeks instead of the usual months to years.

“Universal Robots has spent the last decade in North America focused on freeing up more manpower by automating a wide range of human-scale tasks with easy-to-deploy cobots,” says Bryan Bird, Universal Robots’ Regional Sales President. “We’re excited to work with Rapid Robotics in a partnership that will enable us to break down more automation barriers, deploying a robotic workforce to address those jobs manufacturers simply can’t staff.”

In 2022, UR brought in $326 million, a 5% increase in annual revenue from 2021 and a 12% growth on a constant currency basis. UR is part of the robotics division at Teradyne and delivered $85 million in sales in Q4 2022, down from $97 million in Q4 2021.

A big change for both new and old Rapid Robotics customers is that there are now more ways and things that can be automated. Existing customers who want to grow their businesses or fill open positions for machine operators can automate even more of their lines with UR’s cobots, which have new features. Rapid Robotics’s expanded product line makes automation easier and faster to start for new customers than ever before.

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Universal Robots reported its highest annual revenue to date in 2022. | Source: Universal Robots

Teradyne announced it brought in $3.15 billion in revenue in FY 2022. This marks the company’s second-biggest year in history, following 2021. Its Industrial Automation Group, which includes Universal Robots (UR), Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR), and Energid, brought in $404 million. 

This is a $28 million increase from the $376 million it brought in during 2021. In 2022, UR brought in $326 million, while MiR brought in $77 million. 

“We delivered better than expected results in the fourth quarter on higher revenue and gross margins and lower expenses than planned,” Teradyne CEO Mark Jagiela said in a release. “Increased shipments of our Eagle products serving the automotive and industrial chip markets combined with stronger demand for UR cobots in the quarter drove the improved results.” 

UR brought in $85 million in revenue in Q4 2022, slightly down from the $97 million it brought in during Q4 of 2021, but still resulting in a record-high year for the company for the second year in a row. UR saw a 5% increase in annual revenue from 2021 and a 12% growth on a constant currency basis. 

“We are proud to have continued to grow our business despite facing a difficult macroeconomic environment in 2022,” Kim Andreasen, UR’s chief financial officer, said in a release. “We focused on those things we are able to control, and we overcame supply chain challenges to report our highest annual revenue to date.”

Robotics Summit & Expo (May 10-11) returns to Boston

Teradyne expects its Industrial Automation Group to continue to grow strongly in 2023. In 2022, the company began growth initiatives, including a channel transformation at UR, to gain traction. These growth initiatives also included supplementing its traditional distributor network with focused OEM channels.

The Industrial Automation Group will also likely see growth because of its recent product releases, like the higher-payload UR20, which expands its service market. The UR20 will ramp up production in 2023, particularly in the second half of the year. 

“We invested last year in building world-class expertise in welding, palletizing and machine tending,” Kim Povlsen, UR’s president, said in a release. “We have also been working with our ecosystem partners to make automation easier for our customers than ever before. 2022 has been an important year for the company overall. We started construction on new headquarters, reached our 1000 employee milestone and launched a ground-breaking new cobot.”

MiR merged with AutoGuide Mobile Robots, another Teradyne subsidiary at the end of Q3 2022, with the integrated company officially being called Mobile Industrial Robots.

Prior to the merger, MiR offered a range of AMRs capable of carrying payloads and pallets up to 3,000 lb. (1350 kg). By combining with AutoGuide, the portfolio will expand to include high-payload AMR tuggers and forklifts operating on the MiRFleet software.

Teradyne expects the Industrial Automation Group to grow more than 20% in 2023, with much of that growth coming in the second half of the year.

The company’s market penetration for collaborative robots, including autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), is under 5%, leaving Teradyne with a lot of room for long-term growth. Teradyne is expecting its Industrial Automation Group to eventually make up 20% of the company’s entire sales. 

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Flexiv’s Rizon collaborative robot performing PCR testing. | Source: Rizon

Flexiv announced a partnership with Handplus Robotics, a Singapore-based automation integration company. 

A spin-out from Nanyang Technology University in Singapore, Handplus Robotics has an established distribution network within Singapore and Malaysia, which Flexiv hopes to leverage to expand its customer base. The company specializes in robotic pick and place applications for logistics, e-commerce fulfillment, warehousing, medical services and healthcare industries. 

“This partnership with Handplus will enable more end-users to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by adaptive robotic technology,” Owen Wu, Flexiv’s Senior Sales Manager for the Asia Pacific region, said in a release. “We have seen substantial growth over the past two years, and this strategic partnership with Handplus will enable us to expand our market presence without compromising the service we provide to our clients. Working together, Flexiv and Handplus will enable customized smart solutions to be created, which will reduce the effects of labor bottlenecks and decrease the ROI period.”

Flexiv has been working to grow its distribution network over the last two years. For example, in November 2022, the company partnered with Sycodal, its first Canadian distributor. Sycodal has sole integrator rights for Flexiv robots for the entirety of Quebec as part of the distribution agreement. 

In July 2022, Flexiv announced it closed a Series B+ funding round with an investment of nearly $100 million. According to the company, the latest investment makes the company a unicorn startup. 

Flexiv spun out of Stanford University in 2016. It was founded by Shiquan Wang, now the CEO, Xiyang Yeh, now the CTO, and Shuyun Chung, now the chief robotics scientist. In 2020, Flexiv brought in over $100 million in a Series B round of funding, and it brought in $22 million in Series A funding in 2019. 

Flexiv launched its Rizon adaptive robot in April 2019, and today it offers three different Rizon models, the original Rizon 4, the Rizon 4s and the Rizon 10. The core features of these adaptive robots include high-precision and fast-response force-controlled technology throughout the arm. 

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The ABB SWIFTI is an industrial-grade cobot with a reach up to 1300 mm. | Credit: ABB

ABB launched the SWIFTI CRB 1300 robot arm, which the company said bridges the gap between industrial and collaborative robots. With a payload capacity of up to 11 kg (24.3 lb), the SWIFTI CRB 1300 can be used in a variety of production and product handling applications – from machine tending and palletizing to pick-and-place and screwdriving.

The SWIFTI CRB 1300 uses a safety laser scanner integrated with ABB’s SafeMove collaborative safety software. The technologies enable safe collaboration without the space and cost associated with installing protective fencing or other physical barriers. If the laser scanner detects a worker within SWIFTI’s operating area, ABB’s SafeMove software will automatically slow the robot or stop it completely. As the worker moves away, movement will be restored, returning to full speed for full productivity only once the working area is clear.

As a further protective measure, a built-in interaction status light provides a visual indication of the cobot’s status when a worker is within the workspace area. The robot is powered by ABB’s OmniCore C90XT controller. Other features of the SWIFTI CRB 1300 include:

• Features ensure safe deployment alongside workers and ease of use for non-robotics specialists
• Available in three payload variants: 7 kg (15.4 lb), 10 kg (22 lb), 11 kg (24.3 lb)
• Reach between 900 mm (35.4″) to 1400 mm (55.1″)
• IP67 variant available for use in dusty, high moisture environments
• A top speed of 6.2 m/s (20.3 ft/sec)
• Repeatability of ±0.01 mm (±0.0004″)

ABB is offering the SWIFTI 1300 in three payload and reach combinations. | Credit: ABB

“Our customers are looking to robotic automation to make their processes more flexible, efficient and resilient, helping to counter labor shortages by enabling their employees to perform more value-added work,” said Andrea Cassoni, managing director for global general industry robotics at ABB. “The latest addition to our SWIFTI family is a highly accurate, high payload cobot that’s up to six times faster than other robots in its class.  This means it can be used by both SMEs and large manufacturers looking for collaborative automated solutions to achieve new levels of flexibility and productivity.”

Users can set up the robot by either physically guiding it through a process (lead-through programming) or through ABB’s new Wizard Easy Programming software. Based on simple graphical blocks, Wizard Easy Programming makes programming accessible for non-specialists in robotics.

The SWIFTI CRB 1300 is part of a wider cobot portfolio covering payloads from 0.5kg to 11kg, with options including the YuMi single and dual-arm robots, the GoFa CRB 15000 and the SWIFTI CRB 1100 industrial collaborative robot for payloads up to 4kg.

ABB recently enhanced its RobotStudio robot programming and simulation software with cloud-enabled functionality. The new RobotStudio Cloud enables individuals and teams to collaborate in real-time on robot cell designs from anywhere in the world, on any device.

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Robco’s modular robotic arms are made up of seven or eight modules. | Source: Robco

Robco, a Munich-based startup that builds modular robots to automate processes in small to medium-sized industrial businesses, brought in around $13.8 million, or €13 million, in Series A funding, according to reporting from TechCrunch.

Sequoia led the funding round, which also included participation from Kindred Capital, Promus Ventures, Torsten Reil, Christian Reber and Daniel Dines. According to Sequoia, Robco stands apart from other robotics platforms because of its flexibility. With Robco, users can change their robots’ capabilities to adapt to their changing manufacturing needs. 

Robco has found its niche in automation by automating tricky tasks and building robotics that are cost-effective enough to be available to smaller manufacturers. Robco’s modular robotics solutions currently have three end-effector components that are capable of lathe turning, laser engraving and palletizing. The company hopes to add more modules over time, specifically in milling and quality inspection. 

Robco’s robotic arms are made up of seven or eight modular pieces that have varying payload capacities and ranges depending on the use case. For example, the company’s machine tending laser solution is made up of eight modules, has a 4 kg (8.8 lbs) payload, and has an 800 mm (31.5″) range. Meanwhile, its palletizing solution, which also uses eight modules, has an 8.5 kg (18.7 lb) payload and 1,300 mm (51″) range. 

The company plans to use the funding to expand the capabilities of its modules, continue adding more clients and expand its geographical reach, including into the U.S. market.

Robco’s robots are offered under the robots as a service (RaaS) model. RaaS models allow companies to start automating without having a big chunk of capital to give upfront.

Robco typically charges $1,000/month for its robots, while overall charges can run as high as $4,000/month. The overall cost depends on how complex the client’s robot setup would be. Robco’s robots can be deployed in just a few days.

Robco was founded in 2020 by Roman Hoelzl, now the CEO, Paul Maroldt, now head of robot engineering, and Constantin Dresel, now the head of application engineering, as a spin-out from the Technical University of Munich. 

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ABB opened a new 67,000-square-meter robotics factory in Kangquiao, Shanghai, China last week. The $150 million facility harnesses virtual planning and production management systems to maximize productivity.

The new facility will use flexible, modular production cells instead of traditional, fixed assembly lines. These production cells are digitally connected and networked. Inside the cells, robotic systems perform tasks like screwdriving, assembling and material handling. Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) zip around the facility ensuring all of the production cells are kept up to date.

“Building on three decades of success in China, the opening of our new mega factory is another milestone in helping our customers grow sustainably, address labor shortages and create high-value jobs in a new era of automation,” said Sami Atiya, president of ABB Robotics and Discrete Automation. “Our innovative, automated and flexible factory plays a key role in our strategy of ‘in China, for China,’ strengthening our full value chain here. With over 90 percent of sales supported by our factory, the new facility will help our customers in China create more locally made products, solutions and services.”

The facility has an 8,000-square-meter research and development center that will focus on creating innovations in artificial intelligence (AI), digitalization and software. These could include research on autonomous mobility, digital twins, machine vision and low-code programming software.

ABB hopes that, with help from its partners and customers in its open lab, it can use its facility to make advancements in sectors like New Energy Vehicles, logistics, healthcare and food and beverage.

“This manufacturing and R&D facility brings to life our vision for the factory of the future – where flexible automation makes production and intra-logistics more resilient, faster and more efficient,” said Marc Segura, president of ABB Robotics. “It embodies our commitment to the latest in flexible, modular, intelligent manufacturing and it represents our focus on AI learning technologies for smarter robotics. At our new R&D facility, we will co-develop new solutions with businesses to prepare them for a new age of automation in the world’s largest robotics market.”

ABB recently unveiled the IRB 1010, which is the company’s smallest industrial robot ever. With a footprint of 135 mm (5.2 inches) by 250 mm (9.8 inches), the IRB 1010 is 30% smaller than ABB’s now second-smallest robot, the IRB 120.

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Micropsi Industries announced its software, MIRAI, is now compatible with numerous robots from FANUC, a leading supplier of robotics and factory automation. With MIRAI, FANUC customers can add hand-eye coordination to multiple FANUC industrial and collaborative robots (cobots) to handle functions such as cable plugging and assembly.

The MIRAI controller generates robot movements directly and in real time. Robot skills are trained, not programmed, in a few days through human demonstration, without requiring knowledge of programming. To train a robot, a human repeatedly demonstrates a task by manually guiding the robot by the robot’s wrist. The recorded movements are then transformed into a skill.

Cable plugging applications such as flat ribbon cables for the electronics industry or industrial automotive connectors typically require a high degree of flexibility to accommodate shape instability, making it a difficult task for any robot.

“Grabbing a flexible part, guiding it and placing it accurately into a socket may be a trivial task for humans, but it has been basically impossible to complete for industrial robots,” said Prof. Dominik Bösl, chief technology officer, Micropsi Industries. “That’s because while robots can work tirelessly and precisely with high repeatability, they are limited in their ability to perform complex motorized processes. The required hand-eye coordination is just not present in a robot. If the robot falters due to variances or deviations, employees must intervene, and are sometimes burdened with unergonomic tasks. This inhibits the performance of manufacturing companies who are already struggling with the prevailing shortage of skilled workers.”

Micropsi Industries plans additional automation projects that will expand the range of applications for FANUC’s industrial robots. The medium- and long-term goal: to revolutionize industrial work from the ground up.

“Micropsi Industries working with FANUC’s robots will break new ground by making automation possible where it has never been before,” Bösl added. “In this strategic relationship, our MIRAI intelligent controller meets the world’s largest portfolio of industrial robots. Together, we are tapping into the nearly unlimited possibilities of task-specific machine learning for robotics. In doing so, we are making it accessible to even more industries and users, ensuring greater flexibility under real production conditions.”

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Flexiv’s Rizon adaptive robot. | Source: Flexiv

Flexiv, a provider of general-purpose robotics solutions, has partnered with Sycodal, a Quebec-based automation integrator, to bring adaptive robotic technology to the Canadian market.

As part of Flexiv’s continued expansion into North America, this latest partnership will enable Canadian companies to take full advantage of an adaptive robot’s efficiency, flexibility, customizability, and ease of use.

“We are very excited to partner with an established and experienced system integrator in the Canadian market.” Said Daire Kullar, Flexiv’s Regional Sales & Business Development Manager. “Sycodal has opened a door for Flexiv in this market, and we are committed to supporting their growth. We are confident of the abilities Sycodal has to offer and are very impressed with the team’s capabilities.”

Flexiv granted Sycodal sole integrator rights for the entirety of Quebec as part of the distribution agreement.

“By choosing Sycodal as a distribution partner in Canada and an official integrator in Quebec, Flexiv has not only propelled us to high-potential markets in North America but also offers collaborative solutions at the cutting edge of technology.” Said Claude Beauliue, the President of Sycodal. “Flexiv leads the path to a strong future now, and our entire team is ready and motivated to bring this technology to the Canadian market.”

This latest partnership represents Flexiv’s commitment to bringing its adaptive robotic solutions to North America. By selecting its distributors and integrators, Flexiv can develop its market presence and provide a holistic support package to its customers, ensuring they are aided on every step of their automation journey.

In July, Flexiv closed a Series B+ funding round with an investment of nearly $100 million. According to the company, the latest investment makes the company a unicorn startup. 

Flexiv spun out of Stanford University in 2016. It was founded by Shiquan Wang, now the CEO, Xiyang Yeh, now the CTO, and Shuyun Chung, now the chief robotics scientist. In 2020, Flexiv brought in over $100 million in a Series B round of funding, and it brought in $22 million in Series A funding in 2019. 

The post Flexiv partners with first Canadian distributor appeared first on The Robot Report.

Techman Robot’s new AI Cobot Series can recognize the presence and orientation of their environments. | Source: Techman Robot

Techman Robot announced its TM AI Cobot series, a series of collaborative robots (cobots) that combine a precise robot arm with a native AI inferencing engine and smart vision system. 

Techman Robot’s AI Cobots come with a comprehensive AI software suite, including TM AI+ Training Server, TM AI+ AOI Edge, TM Image Manager and TM 3DVision. This software suite allows end-users to train and tailor the AI Cobots to meet their application, whether that be for precise pick-and-place, palletizing, welding, semi-conductor and product manufacturing, AOI inspections, food service preparation and even as an autonomous mobile robot (AMR), as Techman Robot’s AI Cobot series can be installed on an AGV/AMR. 

“Techman Robot has redefined the future of industry robotics with the introduction of its AI Cobot series that are equipped with a native AI engine, powerful and precise robotic arm and vision system that represents a perfect combination of ‘brain, hands and eyes’. With our all-in-one integrated system and supporting software suite, we lead the industry with ease of integration, accelerating productivity while reinforcing quality, and opening new opportunities,” Techman Robot President Shi-chi Ho said in a statement announcing the launch. 

The series is made up of six different cobots, with Techman Robot’s TM16 and TM20 being the newest in the line. TM20 has the highest payload in the series, with a max of 20 kg (54 lb), while the TM12 has the longest reach at 1300 mm (4.2 ft). 

These cobots have the ability to recognize the presence and orientation of their environments to perform various tasks. They can even read results from machines or test equipment and made decisions accordingly.

Techman Robots claims that its cobots can improve automation processes as well as track, analyze and integrate data during production, preventing defects and improving product quality. This can lead to increased productivity, decreased costs and shorter cycle times.

Techman Robots was founded in 2016, and is headquartered in Taoyuan, Taiwan, and has branches in Korea, China and the Netherlands. It employs over 500 people worldwide, and is a subsidiary of the Quanta Group. 

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Universal Robots, part of Teradyne’s industrial automation group, recently released its UR20 cobot. | Source: Universal Robots

Teradyne saw a small backslide in revenue in its industrial automation group, a 2% decrease, in Q3 of 2022 compared to the same time period last year. The group brought in $89 million in revenue for Q3 2022. 

The industrial automation group’s revenue is a decline from Q2 of this year when it brought in $101 million in revenue. The group consists of Energid, Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR), which just merged with AutoGuide Mobile Robots, and Universal Robots (UR). Energid’s revenue is included with UR’s. 

During Q3, UR brought in $73 million, and MiR brought in $16 million. UR sales decreased 5% during the quarter, while MiR sales rose 17% from the same quarter last year. Both companies saw a decrease in sales from last quarter when UR brought in $83 million and MiR brought in $17 million. 

For the first 9 months of 2022, 41% of Teradyne’s industrial automation sales were to Europe, 29% to the U.S. and 11% to China and the remainder to the rest of the world. 

Greg Smith, named president of Teradyne on July 1, 2022, attributed the slower-than-expected growth to two factors. 

“First, slowing industrial activity, especially in Europe, where PMI has dropped below 50 in July and has remained in that contraction zone since. Europe is our largest end market for automation, and this is a 10-point headwind to growth,” Smith said during the company’s Q3 earnings call. “Second, labor scarcity continues in our distribution channel, which we expect to reduce growth by about five points.”

Despite slow growth, Teradyne is optimistic about UR’s future. The company has seen higher demand than expected for its higher payload UR20 cobot released earlier this year. Teradyne expects the UR20 to start shipping in 2023 when it will start contributing to financial results. 

UR has also seen a lot of growth in welding. Its welding channel grew over 80% in the first nine months of 2022 compared to the same time last year, and it expects to ship over 1,200 robots in that vertical.

Inside the AutoGuide/MiR merger

Teradyne combined MiR and AutoGuide Mobile Robots at the end of Q3, with the integrated company officially being called Mobile Industrial Robots. The company’s headquarters will be in Odense, Denmark, where MiR has been based since 2013 when it was founded.

Prior to the merger, MiR offered a range of AMRs capable of carrying payloads and pallets up to 3,000 lb. (1350 kg). By combining with AutoGuide, the portfolio will expand to include high-payload AMR tuggers and forklifts that will operate on the MiRFleet software.

Smith said Teradyne decided about a year ago that the best way to differentiate its AMR business was to provide a broad product line under a single software control.

“We heard over and over again from big customers that they were struggling to implement complex workflows because complex workflows generally need AMRs to interact with each other,” Smith said. “The dominant way people were talking about that happening was through fleet management. That was putting those customers into an uncomfortable position where they didn’t know who to go to when things from multiple vendors didn’t work right. ”

Smith said Teradyne wants to take responsibility for the performance of the hardware and software and turn to partners to ensure a positive customer experience.

“If you look at any AMRs, whether they’re ours or someone else’s, customers can take up to two years to go from an initial pilot to a volume deployment. That’s because they have to work out their processes and adapt to the technology,” he said. “In some cases, like automakers, they have to invent new jobs. They don’t have people who know how to maintain AMRs, so they have to figure out how to fit that into their union regulations. That’s a complex issue to work through. We believe the ultimate destination for AMRs has incredible potential, but we need to simplify the process. And simplifying that process for us meant putting all of our AMRs under one software control and engaging with customers as one organization.

Smith said the bulk of the of work went into reworking the sensor suite of the AutoGuide robots to optimize their performance with MiR’s software and to enhance the MiR software to handle the higher speeds of the heavy payload vehicles from AutoGuide.

“The basic chassis stays the same, but because of the higher top speeds, we need to look much further ahead of the vehicle to react to obstacles and do the right thing. We had to modify the sensor suite of the AutoGuide robots and enhance the MIR software so it could handle the specific requirements of the heavy payload space. And that’s faster speed and more control of the path the AMRs take.”

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Doosan Robotics has teamed up with automation solutions specialist Air-Oil Systems for a strategic distribution partnership. Doosan Robotics’ full lineup of both collaborative and service robots can now be distributed by Air-Oil to customers across Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Doosan’s collaboration with Air-Oil Systems will expand its customer reach and distribution potential within the U.S. Doosan recently opened its Plano, Texas headquarters and partnered with Industrial Automation Supply as a partner and reseller in the Northeast.

Doosan’s four M-SERIES cobot models are all equipped with six torque sensors – one in each joint. The models have a working radius of 900 to 1,700 millimeters and a payload capacity of 6 to 15 kilograms.

Introduced in 2019, the company’s A-SERIES offers four separate models (A0509, A0509s, A0912, and A0912s). The lineup offers payload capacities between 5-9 kg and reaches between 900-1200 mm.

The H-SERIES lineup boasts the highest payload of the company’s range of collaborative robot applications. The cobots in this series offer payload capacities of 20 kg and 25 kg with a reach of 1700 mm and 1500 mm, respectively.

“Air-Oil has evolved over their long history as a distributor,” said Alex Lee, GM at Doosan Robotics Americas. “As they continue to grow and expand their expertise in automation and robotics we are thrilled that Doosan Robotics will play a key role. I look forward to our partnership and future success together.”

Air-Oil Systems’ manufacturing and industry expertise dates back nearly 60 years. The company has become a leading distributor and solutions resource within automation technology and robotics (among other industries).

“We feel that Doosan Robotics is going to revolutionize the collaborative robot marketplace with its feature rich safety attributes, simplified programming, and quick deliveries all at an incredible price point for a quick ROI,” stated Dennis Plasha, President at Air-Oil Systems Inc. “We are excited and honored to be a Channel Partner for Doosan Robotics in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.”

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