A German automotive manufacturer is deploying ‘electronic eyes’ and image processing technology from VMT Vision Machine Technic Bildverarbeitungssysteme and IDS Imaging Development Systems to automate the loading and unloading of pressed metal components. Robots perform monotonous workflows and repetitive tasks brilliantly. When paired with image processing technologies, they can become “seeing” members of production teams…
Robotics
SS&C Blue Prism has been recognized as a Leader for the fifth consecutive year in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Robotic Process Automation (RPA). RPA remains the fastest-growing software market and one of the most popular choices for improving operational efficiency with tactical automation, and the Magic Quadrant evaluates the leading enterprise vendors. With SS&C Blue Prism at…
Autonomous post sortation company LiBiao Robotics has selected Frankfurt for its new European headquarters, inaugurating a new office space with a showroom and demonstration zones for visitors. Founder and CEO, Xia Huiling, says: “Apart from providing a base for our European sales and service teams, the new premises will be a place where logistics professionals can…
Following a successful Early Access Program with some of the biggest names in construction, HP has made its SitePrint robotic solution for site layouts available in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. HP SitePrint has been used by general contractors, trade contractors and geospatial service providers on over a hundred projects, across six…
Ultra-energy efficient parcel sortation robots are a game changer for the logistics sector. They’re also good news for the environment, says Xia Huiling, founder and CEO of LiBiao Robotics. The importance of sustainability and the need to operate in an environmentally responsible way have been high on most corporate agendas for many years. But, with…
Technology is rapidly evolving in every area of modern life, and building construction is no different. The high-tech solutions that are making their way to building sites are going to revolutionise the industry forever, making construction safer, faster, and more cost-effective. Let’s take a look at some of the changes coming to building sites up…
As warehouse operators in the UK report continuing labour shortages, Frazer Watson, VP of Sales – UK & Ireland at iFollow, makes a case for deploying mobile robots. Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) offer one of the more cost effective and flexible automation solutions to enable logistics operations to optimise their labour force. This is particularly…
Installing outdated intralogistiics technologies will prevent micro-fulfilment centres from achieving the efficiency gains ecommerce retailers are looking for, says Xia Huiling, founder and chief executive of LiBiao Robotics. With online shoppers demanding more convenient and ever faster order fulfilment speeds, many online retailers are choosing to invest in micro-fulfilment centres (MFCs). MFCs are usually small…
A well-considered mobile robot implementation can transform the productivity of order picking and internal transport in a retailer’s warehouse to deliver rewards in challenging times for the sector, says Frazer Watson, iFollow’s vice president of sales for the UK and Ireland. The challenges for major retailer chains, department stores and the FMCG businesses that supply…
A partnership between Quorn and automation specialist Karakuri will optimise production of vegetarian and vegan protein alternatives by quick service (QSR) Fast Casual kitchens. Restaurants are increasingly embracing intelligent kitchen automation to help them maximise kitchen efficiencies and lower operational costs, while also delivering perfectly cooked food to their customers. However, this automation needs to…
Xia Hulling, founder and CEO of sortation system specialist LiBiao Robotics, explains why automation is allowing postal service providers to deliver better customer service. Alongside the construction and hospitality industries, logistics is among the business sectors to have been hit hardest by Europe’s dwindling labour market and the resultant recruitment issues. The global pandemic and the…
Europe’s biggest automated robotic parcel sorting system has been installed in Turkey by distribution and postal services company Kuryenet which delivers payment cards for many of the country’s largest banks. The system was designed and fitted by Chinese company LiBiao Robotics in conjunction with its Turkish distribution and after sales support partner, Lodamaster at the…
Flyability’s Elios 3 drone has been deployed for 3D mapping of a 1960s radioactive waste storage facility in what is being hailed as an industry-first mission. The mission to fly inside the irradiated vault took place in late November 2022 at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center at the Idaho National Laboratory Site in…
Following Black Friday, Frazer Watson, VP Sales UK&I for mobile robot manufacturer iFollow, explains why retailers and e-tailers are deploying autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in intralogistics operations. Retail peaks can seriously challenge intralogistics operations. AMRs offer a cost-effective solution that will help remove much of the risk, smooth the spikes and ensure continuity of service…
Aramark will be the first foodservice company in Germany to begin using fully automated kitchen robots in its corporate restaurants. The robotic kitchen innovation from Berlin-based start-up Aitme prepares dishes such as pasta, bowls, and salads from fresh ingredients to order. The collaboration creates new opportunities for Aramark business and industry clients by offering greater…
The Lufthansa lounge at Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. has welcomed a futuristic new employee. Named LUFTH-I, this beta-stage robotic busser from Bear Robotics is helping employees by quickly collecting dirty dishes and glassware as it roams the lounge. LUFTH-I is then able to autonomously go to the cleaning area to drop off dishes…
Companies to develop a variety of automated and intelligent tray delivery systems to help with challenges in the service industry, hospitality, education and elderly care.
Leigh Anderson, managing director at Bis Henderson Recruitment, explains why the Covid-19 pandemic has made upskilling of supply chain logistics within the pharmaceutical sector a business priority. The pharmaceutical retail, wholesale and distribution sector is ‘in play’, as they say on the markets. The group around Lloyds Pharmacy (retail) and AAH Pharmaceuticals (wholesale) has been…
23.09.2021, 12:33 The Future of Lunch A Karakuri Semblr food robot is preparing 4,000 lunches for returning office-based employees of British online grocer Ocado in what is believed to be the world’s largest deployment of the technology in a high-volume catering environment. The initiative which has also involved Angel Hill Food Co – the…
05.07.2021, 13:30 Delivering Better Hospital Hygiene with Cobotics Medirest, the healthcare division of Compass Group UK & Ireland, is introducing 12 cleaning robots to support cleaning operations at several NHS hospitals. Developed in partnership with cleaning innovation specialist, Killis, the innovative technology which is suited to large open areas in hospitals has been successfully trialling…
Leigh Anderson, managing director at Bis Henderson Recruitment, explains why the ‘new normal’ is generating demand for for senior Human Resource executives within supply chain logistics. Logistics operators, and distribution and fulfilment functions across retail and manufacturing, are realising that the solutions to most of the challenges they are facing include a significant HR strategy…
17.03.2021, 16:40 Mitie Cleaning Team to Star on TV Show Mitie’s cleaning team based at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 will be featured in an upcoming episode of the ITV documentary series, Heathrow: Britain’s Busiest Airport. Airing on Wednesday 17 March at 8pm, the episode will mark Mitie’s first appearance on the show, which goes behind the…
02.03.2021, 11:54 Facebook Facing Unsafe Working Practices Lawsuits Thirty content moderators who claim their mental health was harmed as a result of exposure to toxic visual content are suing Facebook and recruitment agencies, CPL Solutions, Accenture, Majorel and CCC. The moderators from Ireland, Germany and Spain have filed their lawsuit with the Irish High Court…
02.02.2021, 08:23 Smart Moisture Measurement in Manufacturing Facilities As “smart” technologies migrate from consumer products to the world of manufacturing and processing, condition monitoring is increasingly being left to sensors, robots and the Industrial IoT. On the production floor, “smart” equates with the ability to continually monitor conditions such as product and input moisture…
26.01.2021, 16:25 From Globalisation to Glocalisation A report from PwC and the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) discusses the glocalisation of manufacturing in 2021. Entitled, ‘The journey from globalisation to glocalisation, how COVID-19 has accelerated the shift to more local and flexible operations‘, the document highlights an emerging requirement for companies to regionalise their footprint,…
18.01.2021, 10:25 Tips For Risk Managers Assessing Automation Hazards Despite allowing manufacturers to replace people with robots in high risk and hazardous processes, automation can create new and often unforeseeable work risks which need to be managed. Manufacturers must ensure their risk managers administer a thorough risk analysis before adding more robots and machines…
26.11.2020, 17:20 Praise for Electrical Recycling Facility Member of Parliament for Bridgnorth and Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) chair, Philip Dunne, has praised a local Veolia facility for its contribution to recycling electrical products. During a visit to the plant that coincided with the publication of an EAP report into Electrical Waste and the Circular Economy,…
28.10.2020, 14:20 Combatting Covid-19 with Robots State of the art robots capable of sanitising entire buildings are being deployed in the race to achieve COVID-security. The automated machines map surroundings and use a combination of UV-C light and ozone to kill 99.9 percent of microorganisms on all surfaces by destroying their DNA structures. It’s an…
20.10.2020, 17:38 Automating Construction Robotics A strategic alliance between Trimble and Boston Dynamics will utilise construction data to enhance Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot platform. The jointly-developed solution will combine the Spot robot’s autonomous mobility with Trimble’s data collection sensors and field control software to enable automation of repetitive tasks such as site scans, surveying and…
28.07.2020, 16:34 Will AI-Powered Robots Replace Humans in Manufacturing? Human workers will remain critical to manufacturing operations according to panel discussion participants from BMW Group and Deloitte at the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (#GMIS2020). Notwithstanding predictions that manufacturing will be increasingly be undertaken by robots powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), as advancements in automation continue…
14.07.2020, 16:54 Creating a Safe New World World Health Organization CIO Bernardo Mariano and Lloyd’s Register Foundation CEO Richard Clegg have called for a paradigmatic shift in how safety risk is managed in a discussion that considered occupational accidents as well as Covid-19. The discussion which took place during a virtual session of the Global…
11.06.2020, 12:11 #GMIS2020 Digital Series (June 30) A programme of online events will precede the virtual Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (#GMIS2020) organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and UAE Ministry of Energy and Industry. Focusing on digital restoration, the #GMIS2020 Virtual Summit on 4th and 5th September 2020, will consider how 4IR technologies are helping…
01.05.2020, 16:41 International Workers’ Day 2025: A Robots-only Affair? With AI, automation and robotics performing more and more workplace tasks, ProGlove communications manager, Axel Schmidt, considers the future of International Workers’ Day. Today is International Workers’ Day, a celebration of the workforce that dates from 1886. In the United States, a strike that lasted several days…
13.02.2020, 13:24 Delivering Value with Robotics Scaled Robotics co-founder and CEO Stuart Maggs will be explaining how robotics and AI can deliver value within construction at BIM Show Live (26-27 February, Boiler Shop, Newcastle Upon Tyne). The architect and designer who specialises in digital fabrication and construction robotics will discuss what the future of construction…
31.01.2020, 20:12 iGAM Launches Online Auction Platform NRTC Alabama, Inc., company, iGAM, has launched the iGAM Unreserved Online Auctions marketplace for manufacturers who wish to purchase used industrial equipment. The new channel for industrial buyers allows users to place online bids for items based on the price they want to pay. Online auction…
31.01.2020, 14:53 Bringing the Human Touch to Invisible Technologies Paula Broadbent, Retirement Solutions director for ENGIE UK, considers the future impact of housing technology on the elderly. As we become older our needs become wider and more diverse. How robust our individual health is, is influenced by socio economic factors, the lives we lead,…
13.01.2020, 19:38 The Future of Facilities Management A new report from Aramark considers the impact of key trends in technology, space management and the wellbeing of building occupants on the FM industry. Top 20 Facilities Management Trends for 2020 describes new and innovative approaches building owners and facility managers can take to improve sustainability, and…
06.01.2020, 16:51 Creating a Safer Future Louise Hosking, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) vice-president and founder of Hosking Associates, says the past holds many lessons for today’s OSH professionals. As OSH professionals it’s important to reflect on our vision, mission and values to consider what defines us, the work we undertake and the…
27.11.2019, 10:42 The Impact of Brexit on Future Workspaces Steve Marsden, Co-founder of flexible workspace search agency Domain Office Search considers the impact of the continued uncertainty surrounding Brexit on the UK’s workspace market and economy. Uncertain about uncertainty? The UK has narrowly avoided a recession by the skin of its teeth. Many sectors have…
24.10.2019, 22:41 Online Marketplace for Used Robots Goes Live NRTC Alabama, Inc. brand, NRTC Automation, has launched e-commerce platform iGAM.com to offer affordable used robots, parts, and industrial machinery from ABB, Fanuc, Kuka, Yaskawa and other leading manufacturers of automation solutions. Robots offered in the iGAM marketplace undergo an inspection and testing that includes…
18.06.2019, 04:10 Digitising Healthcare through Workflow Processes Richard Ash, Ricoh’s UK National Sales Director for Business Process Services, explains why healthcare providers should look beyond merely cutting the paper trail when ‘going digital’. Recently, the UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, pointed out the NHS could save lives,…
18.06.2019, 04:10 Digitising Healthcare through Workflow Processes Richard Ash, Ricoh’s UK National Sales Director for Business Process Services, explains why healthcare providers should look beyond merely cutting the paper trail when ‘going digital’. Recently, the UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, pointed out the NHS could save lives,…
28.05.2019, 15:30 Robotic Vacuums Introduced to College UK Commercial cleaning contractor TTB has introduced robotic vacuum cleaners to support its team of cleaning operatives at Christopher Whitehead Language College in Worcester. The robots were supplied by The Perfect Little Company in Oxfordshire, whose managing director, Michael Richardson, said: “Letting the robots do the lugging…
28.05.2019, 15:30 Robotic Vacuums Introduced to College UK Commercial cleaning contractor TTB has introduced robotic vacuum cleaners to support its team of cleaning operatives at Christopher Whitehead Language College in Worcester. The robots were supplied by The Perfect Little Company in Oxfordshire, whose managing director, Michael Richardson, said: “Letting the robots do the lugging…
05.03.2019, 12:55 Robots at GE Healthcare Buildings GE Healthcare is using robotic vacuum cleaners in a cleaning programme created by TemcoUK Facility Services for its offices in Amersham and Little Chalfont. The robots named “Abbee” now participate in daily vacuuming operations at the UK offices of the global medical imaging, monitoring, bio-manufacturing, and cell and…
04.03.2019, 09:29 UK’s Best Cleaned Transport Hub Birmingham Airport has won Kimberley-Clarke’s Golden Service Award for the “Best Cleaned Transport Hub” for a second successive year. Cleaning, environmental cleaning and pest management services at the West Midlands airport (the UK’s third largest with over nine million passengers a year) are delivered by a team from…