Industrial Automation: Vol 1, Issue 3

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Quiet Logistics Adds Fulfillment Capacity from Kiva Systems to Accommodate Rapid Growth		Cognex Connect Ensures Seamless Connectivity Between Vision System and Automation Controls
Woburn, MA - Kiva Systems, a developer of breakthrough robotic solutions for automating distribution centers, today announced that Quiet Logistics has purchased additional capacity for its Kiva Mobile Fulfillment System. Quiet Logistics, an innovative third party logistics (3PL) provider, has more than tripled its Kiva capacity in less than six months to support new E-commerce customers such as Gilt Groupe with warehousing, order fulfillment, returns processing and value-added services. "Kiva is perfectly suited for the unique requirements of Internet retailers. The Kiva system we bought in January is already providing us substantial competitive advantage in both performance and operating costs," said Bruce Welty, founder and CEO of Quiet Logistics.		Natick MA - Cognex Corporation announces Cognex Connect, the most comprehensive suite of communications capabilities ever offered in a vision system. Cognex Connect enables out-of-the-box connectivity between Cognex In-Sight® vision systems and virtually any major PLC, robot, HMI and Fieldbus system commonly used in factory automation. A simple point and click configuration interface makes it easy to control multiple vision systems from any network PC, and allows users to easily transfer data and images to an enterprise file server or display them in the user's own operator interface. "Cognex Connect makes the integration of vision into any automation system very easy," said Justin Testa, Cognex Executive Vice President and Vision Systems Business Unit Manager.
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Compact Drive Technology from Rexroth for Economical Complete Machining		Motoman 7-AXIS VS50 "Versatile Spot" Welding Robot; Ideal for High-Density Applications
AXXIOM, the new 5-axis CNC machining center from Anderson Europe can be used to completely machine formed parts made from timber, plastic, or lightweight metals up to 1,300 mm in height, features motor-integrated IndraDrive Mi drives with energy recovery capability from Rexroth to set a new standard in energy efficiency. Anderson Europe GmbH, a subsidiary of the Taiwanese-based Anderson Industrial Group, assembles the AXXIOM and equips it with high-tech drives to meet customer requirements in Dornstetten, Germany. To this end, the engineers rely on drive units from Rexroth to realize the feed axes.		Dayton, Ohio - Motoman's slim, powerful 7-axis VS50 "Versatile Spot" spot welding robot is uniquely designed to optimize automotive applications using DC spot guns with compact servo actuators. Fast and agile, the VS50 robot can be placed in close proximity to workpieces and other robots to create flexible, high-density layouts, eliminating multiple stations and resulting in shorter production lines and smaller spot welding workcells that provide reduced cycle and takt times. The compact VS50 robot is only 493 mm (19.4") wide (including the spot harness), with 2,853 mm (112.3") reach and ±0.1 mm (0.004") repeatability. Seven degrees of freedom provide the ability to reorient the manipulator axes without changing gun position in space, and the VS50's multi-jointed arm can fold down into a very low profile.
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New Case Packer/Palletizer Combination Creates High Speed Solution with a Very Small Footprint		FANUC Robotics Introduces World's Strongest, Super Heavy-Duty Robot
Blacksburg, VA - ESS Technologies, Inc., has integrated the Bergami Model K 15 Horizontal Case Packer with the ESS Robotic Mini Palletizer Cell to create a high speed solution for case packing and palletizing cartons, bundles, trays, pouches, etc. for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetics and consumer goods industries. The space-saving design requires an area only 17'-1" x 7'-7" and features a FANUC M-20iA robot standard but may incorporate a number of models, depending on the payload and reach requirements of the application. The K 15 is capable of packing up to 15 cases per minute, while the integrated robotic pallet cell handles up to 30 cases per minute. Fast changeover (15-20 minutes typical) and touch screen controls make the system operator friendly.		ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich., - FANUC Robotics America Inc. introduced the new M-2000iA/1200 super heavy-duty robot, able to lift parts weighing up to 1350 kg (3,000 lbs) at the 2009 International Robots & Vision Motion Control Show in Chicago. "The M-2000iA/1200 has the highest payload and the strongest wrist compared to all other electric six-axis robots available today," said Ian Orr, product manager, FANUC Robotics. "It can support a 1350 kg payload with a 0.6 m offset from the faceplate and full articulated motion at the wrist. One M-2000iA/1200 robot can handle a super heavy part, which previously required dual robots, conveyors, lifts and other fixed automation." The new M-2000iA/1200 is the second in FANUC Robotics' line of heavy-duty robots designed to handle truck, tractor, and automotive frames, and other large castings.
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SAS Automation Introduces New Belt Conveyor Line		DENSO Offers 3-Month Free Trial of WINCAPS III Offline Programming Software
SAS Automation recently introduced a new line of belt conveyors ideal for injection molded components and packaging. Available in horizontal or vertical configurations these new conveyors come in a wide range: from mini conveyor belts having a construction height of 1 1/2" (40 mm) to heavy-duty belt conveyors with a capacity of 200#/ft (300 kg/m). There are ten different versions available: from mini to angled Z-conveyors covering a broad spectrum of applications.		LONG BEACH, Calif. – DENSO Robotics announced that it is now offering a three-month free trial of its WINCAPS III offline programming software, available on the company's Web site at www.densorobotics.com/products_software.php. The software saves users valuable development time by allowing them to program a robot on an offline computer. A 3-D simulation feature conveniently enables layout of the automation workcell in a virtual environment, without the robot having to be in operation. The software allows users to import CAD drawings in standard VRML and DirectX formats, and easily input or change variables. Users can verify reach, determine obstacle clearances, detect collisions, troubleshoot and debug programs, and determine cycle time. The software also allows remote monitoring of workcell operations via realtime I/O status indicators and detailed control logs. A panel design feature enables customization of the robot controller's teaching-pendant display.
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Configurable Components Deliver Time/Cost Savings for Factory Automation and Motion Control System Builders		GE to Create Center of Excellence in Europe for Automated Manufacturing of Carbon Composites
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Misumi USA, Inc., a subsidiary of Misumi Corporation, part of Misumi Group, Inc reports that many of its automation machine builder customers are finding innovative ways to save time and costs in their product development, engineering and production cycles by standardizing many of their mechanical components and by replacing previously custom-built parts with configurable components. These components can be sized to extremely precise dimensional tolerances and can be ordered in different materials and finishes, depending on the application. According to Patrick Esposito, Marketing Manager for Misumi USA, "In today's tough global economy, industrial equipment manufacturers are striving to reduce costs and increase efficiency – without compromising design integrity, quality and customer service. Using configurable components in their machinery wherever possible has proven to be a successful strategy. Many Misumi customers using configurable components, as opposed to designing them in-house or through a job shop, report dramatic time and cost savings.”		MUNICH --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GE Global Research, the technology development arm of the General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), and the Technical University of Munich (TUM), today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a world-class carbon composites manufacturing Center of Excellence on the TUM campus in Garching, near Munich, Germany. The Center of Excellence will focus on automated manufacturing of complex composite structures for use in wind turbines, jet engines, and oil & gas applications. Automated manufacturing of carbon composites addresses the key challenges in industrialization by reducing cost, improving quality, and increasing the rate and speed of production. This technology will provide a dramatic improvement over today's carbon composite manufacturing processes and will enable a new suite of commercial applications not practical or possible today.
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New Micron XTRUE True Planetary Gearheads Offer Cost-Effective, Precise Operation		Seegrid's GT3 Industrial Mobile Robot Reduces Travel Time and Labor Costs at Customer Manufacturing Site
DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY - Thomson has launched a new series of Planetary Gearheads specifically designed to move large loads more easily and more quietly. Known as XTRUE™, the new series uses proprietary True Planetary™ gearing to improve load capacity and reduce backlash. "The XTRUE Series of precision gearheads is a cost-effective complement to the Micron True Planetary Gearhead family of products, which is already the broadest and deepest selection of planetary gearheads available in the world," said Ted Moser, Micron Product Line Manager. XTRUE True Planetary Gearheads are available in 40mm, 60mm, 80mm, 120mm and 160mm frame sizes and deliver precise 13 arc-mins operation with torque capacity up to 876 Nm and ratio availability of 3:1 to 100:1.		PITTSBURGH - Seegrid Corporation, the premier provider of industrial mobile robots for the material handling industry, today announced Wisconsin Lift Truck Corp. has sold and implemented Seegrid's GT3 robotic tugger in a customer's facility, providing immediate efficiencies and labor savings. The Iowa-based customer, in its continuous efforts to improve quality and gain efficiencies, sought to reduce travel time and costs associated with the delivery of parts to its manufacturing and assembly locations. The company's internal suppliers were responsible for delivering parts to the assembly line in various frequencies throughout the day. The improvement goal was to reduce unnecessary travel and implement labor savings with its suppliers. The first step was to standardize on quad-steer carts for all materials movement, enabling the company to hook carts from different suppliers together. The second step was to automate the driving piece.
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Bosch's New CUT 150 Carton Machine with Enhanced Capacity		Eyelit's Award-winning, Integrated Manufacturing Execution (MES) Software Selected by Umicore's Electro-Optic Materials Division for Germanium Wafer Production
Stuttgarter - Bosch Packaging Technology has developed the CUT 150 cartoning machine with enhanced efficiency and new feeding technology, based on the proven CUT 120 cartoning machine. The flexible CUT 150 is suitable for the packaging of products in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industry for single or multiple package operations. The cartoning machine facilitates the packaging of vials, bottles, blister sachets, and pillow packs or inserts such as spoons or folded leaflets. The efficiency of the new CUT machine has improved from 120 to 150 folding boxes per minute. The screw feeder and the pick-and-place feeding achieve an output of 450 packages per minute.		TORONTO, Canada -(BUSINESS WIRE)- Eyelit, Inc., a manufacturing software provider for visibility, control, and coordination of manufacturing operations for the aerospace and defense, discrete electronics, semiconductor, and photovoltaic (solar) industries, announced today that Belgium-based Umicore's Electro-Optic Materials Business Unit, has selected Eyelit's manufacturing software suite to support its germanium wafer production. Eyelit and SYSTEMA GmbH, its European partner, were selected to deliver an integrated manufacturing execution and automation solution. Eyelit's solution replaces a paper-based system and provides reliable integration to SAP.
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Adept Technology: A Leading Provider of Intelligent Vision-Guided Robotics Systems & Services

Founded in 1983, Adept Technology is the largest U.S.-based manufacturer of industrial robots. Adept intelligent automation product lines include industrial robots, configurable linear modules, machine controllers for robot mechanisms and other flexible automation equipment, machine vision, and systems and applications software. Adept provides specialized, cost-effective robotics systems and services to high-growth markets including Packaged Goods, Life Sciences, Disk Drive/Electronics and Semiconductor/Solar; as well as to traditional industrial markets including machine tool automation and automotive components. Adept believes intelligent automation is key to the success of any medium or high volume discrete manufacturing enterprise.

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