ANN ARBOR, MI—Robot orders and shipments in North America set new records in 2014, according to Robotic Industries Association. A total of 27,685 robots valued at $1.6 billion were ordered from North American companies during 2014, an increase of 28 percent in units and 19 percent in dollars over 2013.
More than 20 suppliers of equipment for dispensing and curing adhesives exhibited at The ASSEMBLY Show last fall. Here is a small sample of the new technologies to be found on the show floor.
Electronics manufacturing services provider Computrol Inc. counts the U.S. military, aerospace OEMs and medical-device manufacturers among its large customer base.
During the past month, I interviewed several engineers for an article on automatic screwdriving. Along the way, I learned a bit of wisdom that is applicable no matter what process you might want to automate.
BEIJING—The number of industrial robots in use in China will more than double over the next two years—from 182,000 today to 428,000 by 2017—thus overtaking the robot populations of either North America or the EU’s five largest economies.
EVANSVILLE, IN—Systems integrator Evana Automation Specialists has received a contract to supply three automated assembly machines to a Tier 1 automotive supplier. The machines will produce electronic key fobs.
SOUTHFIELD, MI—The automotive assembly line of the future will be more flexible, more capable of handling new materials, and make greater of the mobile technology, says Martin Kinsella, director of advanced materials and process technologies for systems integrator Comau Inc.
NORWICH, UK—The advent of collaborative robots on the assembly line is raising fresh safety questions for manufacturers. Here are some measures that engineers can take to avoid robot-related accidents.