In the marketing world, a pair of scissors is all that's needed to cut expenses. But, in the real world of business, scissors are the last thing company executives need near them during the stressful process of deciding where to reduce costs.

Traditionally, robots have worked alone inside safety cages or fences. But, more applications on assembly lines today require humans and machines to work in close proximity.

The first wheeled suitcases appeared 50 years ago. Before 1970, luggage was lugged and shoved through airport terminals around the world. By adding casters, the humble invention transformed travel and eventually led to the carry-on bag trend.

MyAppCafé is a fully automated robotic barista. The machine is the brainchild of caterer and entrepreneur Michael Stille of Karlsruhe, Germany, who envisioned a fully automated system for vending coffee at catered events and trade shows.

Last year's California wildfire season was a record-setting one for the state. By the end of 2020, more than 9,600 fires had burned nearly 4.4 million acres, or more than 4 percent of the state's roughly 100 million acres of land.

No one wants to smell bad. Which is why deodorant is big business. The top 10 deodorant brands in the United States totaled more than $1.36 billion in sales in 2019, according to market research firm Statista.

Speed, precision and cleanliness are the hallmarks of automation for medical and pharmaceutical applications. A recent project designed and built by SP Automation and Robotics was no exception.

Robots are becoming nearly as common in assembly plants as nutrunners and conveyors. The advent of collaborative robots is only furthering that trend. However, as robots play a greater role on the line, engineers must ensure that workers remain safe around the technology.

Medical doctors have increasingly become specialized during the last 25 years or so. But, industrial robots have been specialists by design since they began being used for manufacturing in the early 1960s.

Today's printed circuit board assembly line is highly automated. Board loading, paste printing, pick-and-place, reflow, test and inspection - every process is covered by a standard machine, and assemblers have many brands to choose from.