Robotics & Automation

Australian innovator Products For Industry (PFi) is introducing what is believed to be a world-first pure titanium cross-flow membrane solution, which has uptime, environmental, and yield benefits compared to traditional wastewater treatment methods. After more than ten years of development, this fully evolved and tested product is now entering service in Australia with a leading beverage company, which will use the new technology to separate solids from liquid streams in various stages of the waste stream process. “This solution is game-changing for the food and beverage industry, particularly beverages and spirits, because titanium allows for a lower footprint and longer times between Clean In Place (CIP), thereby reducing downtime,” said PFi managing director, Gavin Dunwoodie. PFi is a locally owned and operated business servicing the industrial sector, offering a full suite of in-house capabilities to support manufacturers with machine automation products, systems and solutions, from concept to production. “With traditional membranes made of ceramic or plastic, back-pulsing and cleaning often creates problems, so the overall lifetime of the equipment is reduced,” added Dunwoodie.…

OnRobot, a world-leading turnkey provider for collaborative applications, has partnered with Queensland-based robotics and machine company DCISIV Technologies to introduce an off-the-shelf collaborative palletised for SMEs in Australia. This industry-first solution offers same-day installation, requires no programming, and can be re-deployed within minutes. DCISIV Technologies is situated in Toowoomba, inland from Brisbane. “OnRobot has successfully introduced end-of-arm tooling and sensors for robotic automation to the market by ensuring seamless integration with all major robot brands and providing a simplified and consistent user experience,” said James Taylor, Chief Commercial Officer for OnRobot. “With D:PLOY, we are taking the next logical step in simplifying the overall application rather than just focusing on individual components within the robot cell.” Founded in 2018 in Denmark – more than two decades after the first collaborative robot (cobot) came onto the scene - OnRobot identified a need for quality cobot hardware. “With so many cobot manufacturers coming onto the scene, we recognised a need for a reputable manufacturer that could provide all the complementary physical hardware required.” From two- and three-finger grippers to sanders, vacuums, polishers,…

Auckland-based KANDO Innovation, headed by Keith Blenkinsopp, is a New Zealand manufacturing company that inspires innovation and success through world-leading design and technology. This has led to major export sales in the competitive international markets of America and Europe. KANDO Innovation began with the drive and objective of making New Zealand and international markets safer, more efficient, and more confident, leading to a safer workplace by developing and implementing the latest technology. Leveraging the latest in engineering, automation, machining, vision technologies and more, the idea was to maximise competitive advantage whilst meeting the challenges of safety, skilled labour shortages and minimising downtime and wastage in the industry. Advanced Okuma CNC machines and robotics today play an essential part in this strategy, with the first Okuma machine purchased in 2019 and now with an additional four machines following the Okuma Monozukuri philosophy in “The Art of Making Things Better”. KANDO’s Managing Director Keith Blenkinsopp commented, “The investment in Okuma is always the first we look at due to design, unparalleled service, robustness, precision and user-friendly programming.” KANDO Innovation is the home of the…

Mobile robotic systems are being used in more and more work areas, from e-commerce warehouses to modern restaurants. However, due to the high prices, widespread use is often unaffordable for small and medium-sized companies. igus wants to change this with new low-cost robotics offerings and presents a series of low-cost mobile plastic robots. The market for automated guided vehicles (AGV) and autonomous mobile robots (AMR) is booming: the global market for mobile robotics, including service robotics, currently totals around $20.3bn, and experts expect this figure to almost double by 2028.  Mobile robots are ubiquitous in material handling and industrial applications. And these smart helpers are even increasingly making their rounds in catering and hospitals. The plastics experts at motion plastics specialist igus have also been successfully testing AGVs in-house for four years - driverless shelves that deliver mail and shipments to offices and mobile robots in production that move transports and rotary stacking containers. The experience gained flows directly into developing a new Low-Cost Automation product line, the "ReBeL on Wheels". The goal is to pave the…