Some technologies are loved. For other technologies, there’s no love lost. Like your cable provider, waterjet cutting fills a need, but it’s an uneasy (if long-standing) alliance. Since the 1990s, top automotive interior trimmers have relied on waterjet cutting to remove flash from instr

It’s been said taking something apart is easier than putting it together. If you’re in business to dismantle and recycle wood pallets, you might say otherwise. Taking apart (or dismantling) wooden pallets is dangerous, deafening and draining for employees. The work in pallet recycling pl

At this year’s IMTS in Chicago, I had a number of discussions with manufacturers that were looking for ways to improve their manufacturing process. Some were part of an industry experiencing stagnant growth, and they were looking to prepare for future growth opportunities. Some were looking to

My master’s thesis dealt with job satisfaction in the workplace. At the time I wrote my thesis, I was working for a global manufacturer of aircraft parts. In the mid-1990s, I watched my employer go through massive layoffs, reducing its workforce by more than 60 percent in three years. Watching

When you’re staring down a dirty, tedious (or even dangerous) job, you know how good it feels to get it completed. The first time you do it – even the first few times – there’s a sense of accomplishment. Over time, these jobs can not only wear down workers but also keep them

Imagine you’ve decided to automate an application. You’ve chosen robotics to be the fulcrum, but you need a robotics integrator to help you reach your goal. Once you have researched whom to speak with, how do you compare these integrators? There are 4 "Cs” to sizing up any int

Two hundred forty minutes could save you $240,000 or more on your manufacturing process, but unlike those GEICO® commercials, not everybody knows that. Some of the companies that are in the know, however, say it’s because they agreed to a plant audit. A plant audit is a when a percept

From faster throughput to better quality, customer demands are prompting manufacturers to implement new technologies on a more frequent basis. Such is the case for the application of robots performing part testing and inspection procedures.WHAT IS Part Testing and Inspection?Part testing provides an

The unique challenges encountered by manufacturers over the last year and a half continue to motivate them toward production excellence. From the importance of supply chain resilience to the value of remote monitoring, and more, many lessons came to light. Add in evolving customer expectations and c

Stressed supply chains, slow product throughput, poor part quality and scarce worker availability are common issues plaguing manufacturers today. Sadly, these concerns often lead to low employee morale and sub-par competitive edge. For a growing number of companies, highly reliable and efficient rob

With 2021 coming to a close, rapidly-changing technology, consumer demands and competitive pressures continue to inspire the implementation of creative operational strategies. As a result, more affordable yet highly flexible robots are being implemented on production floors to effectively deal with

With consumer demands more stringent than ever, the ability for manufacturers to consistently produce affordable, high-quality products for on-time delivery is key to maintaining competitive edge. For many operations, however, this benchmark is increasingly difficult to meet.According to the Nationa

“Garbage in, garbage out.” This well-known phrase from the computer science industry is worth considering when it comes to automated material handling. As it applies to robotic palletizing systems, the system outputs, particularly built pallet quality and throughput rates, are directly t

In today’s environment, technology and automation are growing and advancing at a drastic speed. Recent investments by venture capital and private equity firms are further evidence of that rapid growth. Whether industries are looking to increase the amount of throughput in their facility, reduc

As industrial robotic technology has improved over the years, so has related simulation software.  So much so, that a majority of the upfront programming for a robotic system is typically now completed in simulation software first before being implemented in a physical robot.The sophisticated s

In many distribution centers, timely order fulfillment relies on operators having access to empty boxes so that they can quickly complete their picks. This is often completed by building a box and then delivering it to the operator within the pick module. The question is – “What is the b

Hot, cold, corrosive – these environments, and more, inherently require a little extra care when it comes to planning labor and tasks.The same goes for introducing any automated technologies. After all, you need them to operate correctly and avoid any unnecessary damage.Often pulled in to supp

Over two decades ago, the internet made its way into households, retail, and manufacturing environments, providing a foundation for commerce to occur in a more rapid and convenient fashion. Since then, ecommerce has undoubtedly become the platform of choice for procuring everything from household pr

Facing increased customer demand, space limitations and limited labor resources, Friesens Corporation knew they needed to challenge themselves to think creatively about their production efficiency. Increased demand and volume necessitated higher throughput that only more binding lines could accommod

The most intriguing robotics news brought to you by the team at RoboDK. Industrial Robot Brief CES 2022 ensured that January kicked off in spectacular fashion, with new humanoids, Samsung’s plans to enter the US robot market, and Deere’s autonomous tractor grabbing most of the headlines