Injection Technology (Itech) is a custom molder for a variety of clients that require precision plastic parts for such products as electric meter covers, dental appliance cases and spools. With 95 employees operating 23 molding machines in a 30,000 square foot plant, Itech wanted to reduce man hours and increase efficiency.

The company manufactures marina products through robot milling but observed important errors in the surface quality of their machined parts. It uses an ABB IRB 6640-130/3.2 robot, which has 130 kg payload, 3.2 m reach, 0.050 mm repeatability, and was not factory calibrated. On top of that, the robot is placed on a linear track, which introduces yet another source of errors.

The ability to learn is a precondition for autonomy. With this in mind, Siemens researchers are developing knowledge networks based on deep learning-related simulated neurons and connections. Such networks can be used to generalize information by identifying associations between extraordinarily complex realms, such as the publicly accessible Internet and a company’s internal information systems. Far-reaching and generic, this technology appears to hold the potential of mimicking what humans call intuition.

The second-generation Robonaut, Robonaut 2 is a torso bolted to a pedestal and is connected to the station with wires for power and control. NASA wanted a solution to make the robot wireless so that it can move freely throughout the station and be more useful, and save astronauts' precious time.

Industrial robots are highly repeatable but not very accurate. However, through a robot calibration process the accuracy of a robot arm can be improved to the point where it is close to its repeatability, usually under the 0.100 mm mark. This is becoming very attractive to small and medium enterprises as robot arms are very affordable and can be used for multiple manufacturing applications, including machining materials such as wood, plastic or marble.

Help GrassAds enhance the wireless communication between its painting robots and control systems for better quality performance in highly congested areas. 

Grabit, a promising startup, wanted to take its revolutionary electroadhesion gripping technology to market. Flex Lab IX partnered with Grabit to perform state-of-the-art testing and make business connections that would help the company fundamentally change factory and warehouse automation. Today's factories and warehouses need automation technologies that can handle fragile electronics such as flat-screen TVs and solar panels. Grabit invented a new technology that could revolutionize factory and warehouse automation. But this groundbreaking technology had to undergo rigorous testing before it could launch.

The round slitter blades that cut the paper in JSI’s machines are extremely sharp and can be dangerous to handle manually. Therefore, JSI and Millennium Controls designed a robotic blade-changing system using a robotic arm from Fanuc Robotics. The robot changes the sharp blades automatically, without operators having to touch them. But even if the blades can be changed automatically, operators still have to go up to the HMI of the machine which put them in close vicinity to the sharp blades. Therefore, JSI and Millennium Controls looked for a way to access the machine from a distance.

As each mast section needs a total of 222 reliable welds, manufacturing them is an extremely labor intensive process.Until recently, STROS had to use highly skilled welders to make these sections. Although it has been using robots for 25 years, these machines could not manage the complex arc welds in narrow spaces needed for these particular components. Consequently, in order to produce a satisfactory number of mast sections it had to employ three welders per shift at three separate workstations to make these pieces. Apart from the obvious outlay this required in terms of manpower and space, STROS found it increasingly difficult to recruit the highly qualified welders needed for this work. That's why in 2007 the company decided to hold a tender for the complete robotization of its manufacturing process for mast sections. Of the four firms who participated, only the ABB group could fulfill all its requirements.

Remote operation of deployed teleoperated robots (Guardian™ S) to perform complex tasks and video mapping and monitoring in areas where human safety is at risk.