Imagine you only ever needed one manufacturing cell which could do everything. That’s what a team of researchers is doing with RoboDK. Think about how you manufacture parts right now. There are many steps, aren’t there? One cell turns the raw material into usable workpieces. Another cel

One of the most challenging tasks in offline programming is to simulate a robot conveyor. Here are 10 best practices to make it easier. Conveyors can be difficult to simulate. As soon as you add moving objects to your robot program, things start to get tricky. Thankfully, there are certain steps y

How do you stop your robot from colliding with objects in its workspace? Here’s how to avoid robot collisions without making life hard for yourself. A recent question over on the RoboDK Forum highlighted a common issue with robots. User Micronexx asked how to avoid collisions. They asked if

It’s no secret that the aerospace industry needs to drill thousands of holes per aircraft. In the last few years, however, drilling with industrial robots has helped reduce manufacturing costs and increase productivity, reliability, and accuracy. The secret is how to achieve this level of aut

If you could build anything you could imagine, what would you build? Here are 6 amazing things you can achieve by using Rhino and RoboDK together. What would you build with your robot if there were no limitations? If the only limit to your designs was your imagination? And the path from idea to fi

Programming a robot conveyor is trickier than many people imagine. Good simulation is the key to success, but how do you do it without going crazy? Conveyor belts are an easy way to move products to your robot, right? Well… not really. We often think of conveyors as a simple solution but, in actua

Robot milling is not just for manufacturers. It is also helping the movie industry to make stunning props and terrifying animatronics. Have you seen the first Jurassic Park movie from 1993? Remember the T-Rex? If so, you will appreciate the stunning effect that can be created by huge, physical pro

Improving your software workflow can shave vital minutes off your 3D printing process. Here’s how researchers improved the additive manufacturing workflow with RoboDK. When you’re 3D printing with a robot, your software workflow can have an important impact on your productivity. If you

Our new plugin for Autodesk Inventor gives you access to one of the world’s top CAD/CAM packages, specially designed for manufacturing processes. Autodesk Inventor is truly a superstar in the world of CAD/CAM programs. According to the CAD Trends survey, Inventor was the 3rd most used CAD p

Personalized products are not just a bit of fun. They can give you that competitive edge which could take your business to the next level. Robots are a perfect way to achieve easy personalization. Here are 10 amazing ideas you can try for yourself. We are currently living in The Age of Personaliza

About 10%-20% of robots have this little-known feature. It can mess with your programming if you’re not prepared. I learned about new robotics concept the other day… robot axis coupling. RoboDK’s CEO Albert Nubiola told me: “Robot axis coupling is important for robot programming,

It’s time to start learning for the future… and the future is now! Here are 10 core skills that you’ll need to succeed with robotics in 2020. Approximately 4 years ago — in January 2016 to be exact — the World Economic Forum (WEF) released a list of the “Top 10 Skills You Need to

It’s a difficult time for the manufacturing industry, the new decade brings many challenges. Here are some ways to survive the hard times. We live in interesting times… Which is apparently a phrase from an ironic curse (“may you live in interesting times”) meaning “times ar

Data: some are calling it “the lifeblood of manufacturing’s future,” and with robotics, it’s extra powerful! Here are 11 excellent ways to use your data. The future of any manufacturing company depends on how well that company handles its data. In other words, “get goo

Agility: if you haven’t heard it everywhere yet, you will. This year, manufacturers are prioritizing agility and robots are one way to achieve it. If you asked me to pick one word to describe the manufacturing landscape as we enter this new decade, the word “unpredictable” seems

3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. Industrial robot arms are typically used in applications such as pick and place, welding, trimming or machining, but that doesn’t mean robots can’t be used for 3D printing.

It’s hard to get your head around robot rotations, isn’t it? Euler Angles are a pain in the neck. Here’s the essential primer to take away the pain. Orientations! They just make me want to tear my hair out. If you have ever had to program a robot’s end pose using coordinate

Is your task suited to offline programming? We look at the top 10 robotic tasks which are possible with offline programming software. A common concern about any new technology is contained in the question “But will it work for my unique situation?” Offline programming is no different.

Don’t know which post-processor to choose? Here are 5 steps for picking the perfect robot post-processor. Post-processors are the bridge between the offline programming software and your robot. If you pick the right post-processor, your program will work out-of-the-box — the real robot will

Robot machining is sending CNC machines the way of the dinosaurs! But are robots really good enough for machining? If you haven’t heard it yet, robots are the new CNC machines! Could traditional CNC machines be going the way of the dinosaur? (i.e. extinct, rather than turned into a multi-mil