Automation & IIoT

MODEX 2022: Let the Cobots Handle Repetitive Labor

March 24, 2022

Universal Robots will showcase its latest cobots at MODEX 2022.

Related To: Universal Robots USA, Inc.

Universal Robots will showcase how its latest robotics platforms are applied in real-world applications at MODEX 2022, which takes place in Atlanta, Ga. (April 28-31).

Engineers will be able to see how cobots automate palletizing and piece-picking tasks. UR, which is part of Teradyne Inc., and headquartered in Odense, Denmark, hopes to meet the demand for robotic piece-picking and palletizing processes that support a wide range of products and warehousing pain points.

Joe Campbell, senior manager of applications development with Universal Robots (UR), will make a case for collaborative robots in his Piece Talk presentation, “The Labor Challenge in Manufacturing Just Won’t Go Away” on March 28 at 11:00am ET at partner RightHand Robotics’ booth #B8622.

Pick & Place

UR’s cobot applications will be on display at several booths, including the RightHand Robotics’ booth. UR’s UR5e cobot powers the RightPick 3 robot system, that offers system integrators and warehouse operators an item-handling solution for use with AutoStore, ASRS systems and other standard material handling automation.

According to UR, both the hardware platform and the RightPick AI software stack have been re-architected for easier configuration of sources and destinations and workflows, greater performance exceeding 1,200 units per hour in controlled tests, process reliability better than 99.5%, safety and compliance.

Mixed-Case Depalletizing

UR’s own booth (#B2805) will showcase how UR cobots can handle palletizing—considered one of the most ergonomically unfriendly and labor demanding tasks. In one application developed by Mujin, a UR10e cobot will efficiently handle mixed-case depalletizing. “UR brings flexibility, ease-of-use and ready-to-deploy tools, making it simple for manufacturers to automate nearly any repetitive task,” said Josh Cloer, director of sales at Mujin (Booth #B7255).

Mujin’s advanced 3D vision and real-time motion planning technologies can automate difficult applications, such as mixed-case handling, sorting and order filling. The company’s website boasts case histories of more than 1,000 cases/hour for single-SKU depalletizing and 600 cases/hour for mixed-SKU depalletizing.

For palletizing applications requiring a heavier-payload cobot, the UR booth will also feature the UR16e model with a 16 kg/35.3 lbs payload, palletizing and de-palletizing in a conveyor setting, featuring UR’s built-in palletizing programming wizard in seamless integration with the FXCB gripper from Schmalz. The gripper is part of UR’s rapidly expanding UR+ ecosystem of third-party component and application kits certified to be plug-and-play with UR cobots.

Other UR Cobot Partnerships on Display

Bin-Picking: Mech-Mind’s Machine Learning software/hardware package features a UR10e cobot, which picks irregular objects with a 3D-printed venturi vacuum gripper. (Booth #C5571)
Pick-to-Light, Pick-to-Voice: The latest RightPick system from RightHand Robotics, based on the UR10e cobot hardware platform, will be available in a live end-to-end picking demonstration with SVT Robotics. SVT’s SOFTBOT Platform enables easy integration between pick-to-light, pick-to-voice, AMRs and the RightPick system to facilitate predictable order fulfillment. (Booth #B8260)

About the Author

Rehana Begg | Editor-in-Chief, Machine Design

As Machine Design’s content lead, Rehana Begg is tasked with elevating the voice of the design and multi-disciplinary engineer in the face of digital transformation and engineering innovation. Begg has more than 24 years of editorial experience and has spent the past decade in the trenches of industrial manufacturing, focusing on new technologies, manufacturing innovation and business. Her B2B career has taken her from corporate boardrooms to plant floors and underground mining stopes, covering everything from automation & IIoT, robotics, mechanical design and additive manufacturing to plant operations, maintenance, reliability and continuous improvement. Begg holds an MBA, a Master of Journalism degree, and a BA (Hons.) in Political Science. She is committed to lifelong learning and feeds her passion for innovation in publishing, transparent science and clear communication by attending relevant conferences and seminars/workshops.

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