Integrating a single, motion-centric coordinator to control a machine and robots can provide advantages in development time, cost and performance compared to separating PLC and robot control functions. Dave Greensmith explains. 

Automation of a packaging operation with robotics has increased productivity by 40% at BOLÇI.

To allow products to be tailored more closely to customer demand requires a reduction in batch sizes which has led to the rise of 'high-mix, low-volume' (HMLV) production. Find out how cobots can be a key enabler for high-mix automation needs.

Historically HMLV production lines have relied heavily on manual labour, with automation representing something of a programming challenge. However, Oliver Giertz believes that the latest developments in programming are set to change this.

As companies look to diversify to help improve sustainability, Nigel Smith explains the importance of robot programming that is simple enough to be refigured to any kind of manufacturing environment.

Robots are becoming a more familiar sight in food manufacturing plants today, but mostly undertaking end-of-line or packaging functions. In this application, however, robots are being employed to accurately cut blocks of cheese.

Mark Gray believes that, to shore up operations and boost productivity, manufacturers should be looking at robots.

2021 could be a pivotal year for industry in the UK, and the extent to which manufacturers adopt automation may determine its long-term success, says Tom Bouchier.

Neil Ballinger explores the open source Robot Operating System (ROS), which he believes will become a common language for industrial automation. 

Find out how and why a sandwich producer has successfully integrated robots into its sandwich production line.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been the subject of considerable hype for several years, but is industry now ready to move to the next stage and focus on how it can be sustainably implemented on the factory floor in robotics and industrial automation applications?

Will the Covid-19 pandemic accelerate the speed adoption of robotic and automation across the industrial sector? Suzanne Gill reports.

Mike Wilson argues that it is time for the UK manufacturing sector to look seriously at the adoption of automation, and robotics in particular, to help improve productivity figures.

The robot manufacturer, integrator, and customer all have responsibilities when it comes to ensuring a safe automated mobile robot system workspace, says Ross Lacy.

Today’s automated manufacturing systems need to be more agile and must incorporate greater levels of flexibility to allow manufacturers to bring new products to market more quickly. Tim Bednall explains the role that robots have to play in achieving these goals.

There are thousands of industrial robots used in manufacturing, processing and packaging applications that take-up a great deal of floor space, simply because of outdated safety provisions. Moving to proximity-based safety can release space and improve production efficiency by allowing more freedom of movement on the shop floor, says Oliver Giertz.

The use of automated production cells by Wade Ceramics provides a good demonstration of how automation technology can be combined with traditional manufacturing processes to deliver increased output, improved quality and consistency.

Collaborative robots (cobots) are starting to be accepted within the manufacturing sector. However, safety is still a concern for many. Suzanne Gill finds out how this issue is being addressed.

Nigel Smith comments on some common misconceptions about collaborative robot safety.

Peter Lange believes that combining the power of mobile robots and cobots is key to making factories more flexible to cope with rapidly changing demands.