There is a clear trend for the development and use of collaborative robotics systems in manufacturing and logistics environments for bin picking and pick-and-place applications. Collaborative robots are particularly well suited for the repetitive part transfer operations of loading and unloading items on a moving assembly line, especially for manufacturing environments requiring a high degree of application flexibility. So, too, with bin picking operations, an especially critical application for fulfillment providers. During this panel session, attendees will learn of the latest commercially available hardware and software technologies, along with new development and deployment and techniques, to support bin picking and pick-and-place operations using collaborative robots. Speakers:

• Tianlan Shao, Founder and CEO, Mech-Mind Robotics
• Wes Garrett, Senior Account Manager, FANUC America Corporation
• Lael Odhner, Co-founder, RightHand Robotics, Inc.

Food companies have employed industrial robots to great success for the production of meat and dairy products, baked goods, frozen foods, snacks, beverages and more. Robotics systems in food production are typically used for end-of-line picking, packaging or palletizing operations, applications that collaborative robotics excel at. Collaborative robotics are also appropriate for ‘upstream’ food production tasks. In this Collaborative Robotics Week session, the appropriateness and use of collaborative systems for food manufacturing will be analyzed, and recommendations made. Real world case studies will also be studied and best practices elucidated.

Speakers:

• Andie Zhang, Global Product Manager - Collaborative Robotics, ABB
• Roy Fraser, Global Product Manager - Food & Beverage, ABB

The collaborative robotics segment is growing rapidly as new suppliers, technologies, and investors enter the market. As is common with other hot technology sectors, this has resulted in a great deal of “noise” in the robotics community, as well as in the business and investment press. This results in increased risk, missed opportunities, and confusion among all members of the collaborative robotics value chain. The problem is especially acute during the selection process for collaborative robotics systems.

This collaborative Robotics Systems session will address a number of important issues related to the selection of cobot solutions including collaborative robotics value drivers, critical enabling technologies, and key provider differentiators. A number of representative collaborative robotics products (and companies) will also be highlighted, along with the features and capabilities that distinguish them.

Speakers:

• Batu Sipka, Application Engineering - Robotics, Gibson Engineering

Palletizing and depalletizing are two of the most common processes in material handling. As such, the use of robotics for palletizing applications continues to be one of the fastest growing segments in robotics. Collaborative robotics systems, too, have proven to very adept for palletizing and depalletizing work, protecting workers from repetitive motion injuries and reducing costs in the process. In this Collaborative Robotics Week session, the latest collaborative robotics solutions for palletizing and depalletizing applications, will be reviewed. Case studies where cobots are used to make palletizing and depalletizing operations simpler and more efficient will be used to highlight recent trends. Speakers:

• John Walker, Sales Manager, Onexia Inc.
• Ben Courtright, Business Development Manager - Pacific Northwest, Universal Robots
• Dick Motley, Director - Authorized System Integrators, FANUC America Corporation

A large percentage of small-to-medium manufacturers (SMMs) have missed out on the many benefits of robotic industrial automation such as increased productivity, improved quality and enhanced competitiveness. Rapid change, however, is underway. Both traditional industrial robotics companies, as well as a number of new vendors, are providing products and services specifically designed satisfy the requirements and support the culture of this sizable and underserved market. This is especially true for collaborative robots, systems largely designed to support the specialized requirements of small-to-medium manufacturers. In this Collaborative Robotics Week session, attendees will learn about new collaborative robotics products and services that support small-to-medium manufacturers. Real world case studies will be presented to illustrate salient points. Topics covered include:

• SMMs and Collaborative Robotics
• Application Specific Systems
• Robotics-as-a-Service
• Flexible Automation
• Rapid Deployment and Simplified Programming

Speakers:

• Joe Campbell, Head of US Marketing, Universal Robots
• Michael Szesterniak, Area Sales Manager, Midwest, Universal Robots
• Brian Havey, Director of Sales, VersaBuilt
• Ryan Weaver, VP, Commercial, Robotiq
• Rob Goldiez, CEO & Co-founder, Hirebotics

3D printing technologies are increasingly used to support and enhance robotics automation, including collaborative robots. In this session, attendees will learn how 3DP can be used to enable collaborative robotics systems, providing cost-effective, efficient, and often technically superior alternatives to traditional approaches. Topics include the use of 3DP to generate prototypes quickly and inexpensively, along with the production of custom jigs, molds and fixtures necessary to position or hold objects while cobots operate on them. The use of 3D printing to create parts for cobots will also be covered, as well as the manufacture of end-of-arm tools (EOAT) for collaborative robots. Speakers:

• Duygu Gunay, Industrial Segment Manager, HP 3D Printing
• Preston Souza, Additive Manufacturing Product Manager, igus

The definition of the term “robotic” has evolved over time to reflect the change from traditional industrial robotics arms, to also include many other types of mechanical systems, including collaborative robots. Like the articulated arms that preceded them, collaborative robots and their supporting technologies are having a major impact on the metal fabrication sector. The systems themselves continue to evolve to support higher payloads and greater accuracy making them even more suitable for welding and metal fabrication applications. Topics covered in this session include:

• Collaborative Robots and Metal Fabrication
• Machine Tending (CNC, Injection Molding, etc.)
• Welding and Soldering
• Material Removal (Grinding, Cutting, Deburring, Milling, etc.)
• Case Studies

Speakers:

• Soroush Karimzadeh, CEO, Novarc Technologies
• Stuart Shepherd, Vertical Development Director, Universal Robots