Automation & Controls

News • September 26, 2017

Coldwater Machine Co. expands plant

Coldwater Machine Co., Coldwater, Ohio, an engineered solutions and precision machining company that manufactures and integrates assembly automation and special machines, announced a 27,500-sq.-ft. expansion to its manufacturing space, enlarging the facility to 132,500 sq. ft.

Products • September 26, 2017

RubyLaser FLC Fiber Laser Cutting System

The design team at Automation Alternatives knew that in order for a system to be truly cost-effective, it had to combine highly efficient technology with user-friendly operation. According to the company, the RubyLaser FLC does just that and more.

Products • September 21, 2017

PP100 Industrial Collaborative Cartesian Robot

Precise Automation has introduced the PP100 industrial collaborative Cartesian robot. The PP100's unique mechanical design offers a lower price than most collaborative robots and reduces the overall costs of tabletop applications, according to the company.

Products • September 20, 2017

Collaborative Robots Avoid Collisions

What if collaborative robots didn't just stop at collision but avoided collisions altogether? And while doing that kept performing the task they set out to do? That's the premise for Universal Robots' new trade show demo where a UR5 robot arm will pick "widgets" out of a feeder that moves around and is dynamically tracked by the vision-guided cobot. Using a wand, attendees interact with the collaborative robot prompting it to avoid the wand while attempting to reach the widget.

Products • September 20, 2017

SnapWeld Collaborative Robot Welding Package

Small job shops struggling with the budget, programming and space requirements of traditional welding robots now have an alternative solution: The new SnapWeld Collaborative Robot Welding package developed by ARC Specialties Inc. and Universal Robots is a cobot-assisted, interactive welding system that can be deployed easily and flexibly in existing, manual welding booths, eliminating the need for costly new robotic cells.

Products • September 20, 2017

HEX RC 6-Axis Motion Controller

Aerotech's HEX RC is a 6-axis motion controller ideal for controlling robotic systems like hexapods. The HEX RC is 4U rack-mountable and compatible with the Automation 3200 (A3200) motion platform.

Products • September 19, 2017

GT 112-E Automatic Magazine Bar Feeder

The new GT 112-E automatic magazine bar feeder from LNS is suitable for sliding headstock machines running unattended or lights-out production using small bar stock with diameters from 0.8 mm to 11 mm (12.7 mm with bar preparation). A dual U-shaped guiding channel with a patented sectional guiding channel cover, combined with a self-centering bar clamping system matches the entire diameter range of the lathe.

Products • September 19, 2017

NUMgrind Software

New software from NUM enables CNC machine tool builders and retrofitters to provide their customers with easy-to-use workpiece programming and machine control facilities for precision grinding applications. Forming the latest application-specific addition to NUM's Flexium CAM suite of CNC software, the new NUMgrind package simplifies machine tool programming for an extensive range of tasks, including external and internal cylindrical grinding, surface grinding, wheel shaping and dressing.

News • September 8, 2017

Lean forward: Toyota’s ‘human-powered’ automation

The online magazine Fast Company reports that while the rest of the auto industry increasingly uses robots in manufacturing, Toyota has taken a contrarian stance by accentuating human craftsmanship: "The central role that people play in this corner of [Toyota's] Georgetown plant is repeated throughout the factory and exemplifies the uniqueness of Toyota's manufacturing philosophy."

News • August 31, 2017

Drake Manufacturing Services Co. LLC is sold

Drake Manufacturing Services Co. LLC, Warren, Ohio, has been sold in a court-ordered receivership.

News • August 29, 2017

Global ceramics market expected to significantly grow

The global ceramics market is expected to reach $287 billion by 2022, according to a recent report by Grand View Research Inc. Furthermore, advanced ceramics are expected to be the fastest-growing segment in terms of volume at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 9 percent through to 2022.

Products • August 29, 2017

Industrial Robot Loader

ANCA Inc. custom-designed and built a new industrial robot loader for exhibition and demonstration purposes and is currently not available for sale.