Robotics Assembly

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Automation is wonderfully economical—except when it’s not. Time and again, I’ve seen smart engineers make dumb automation decisions, some of them ruinous.

SAN FRANCISCO—Momentum Machines is developing a burger-making robot named Patty that can assemble a cooked burger and bag it in less than 30 seconds.

BEIJING—Foxconn plans to install some 20,000 robots at its Chinese assembly plants by the end of the year.

PHOENIX—A new generation of smart machines and manufacturing processes may not leave much room for people on the assembly line.

BEIJING—Demand for industrial robots in China is predicted to hit 32,000 units by 2014, making the manufacturing giant the world’s largest robotics consumer.

The efficiency and reliability of an industrial robot largely depend on its end-of-arm tooling. However, engineers often forget that the interface between the end-effector and the robot arm also plays a critical role.

ANN ARBOR, MI—Steve Forbes, chairman of Forbes Media and a former presidential candidate, will discuss the future of the U.S. economy and business growth during a keynote presentation Jan. 22 at the Automate 2013 show and conference in Chicago.

BOSTON—Rethink Robotics has developed a vision-guided, dual-arm robot that can safely work side-by-side with people on assembly lines.

SAN JOSE, CA—Automation is enabling Altierre, a manufacturer of electronic signs, to compete with low-cost overseas competition. And, says the company’s CEO, manufacturers of other products can follow his example.

HERNDON, VA—Northrop Grumman Corp. has contracted with KUKA Systems to design an automated assembly line to make training jets for the U.S. Air Force.