The new M16 connectors have been redesigned to be modular and easier to handle. Source: binder

For demanding environments, Binder USA LP has introduced a new generation of molded M16 connectors, which it said are engineered to deliver reliability and performance even in the harshest conditions. The M16 circular connectors are designed for applications ranging from heavy-duty machinery like construction cranes and excavators to precision-driven laboratory equipment.

These connectors must meet diverse requirements, ensuring stable and reliable connections in extreme conditions, such as freezing temperatures and exposure to dirt and dust. To address these challenges, they must combine high electrical performance with durability and resilience, noted Camarillo, Calif.-based binder.

binder redesigns connectors to be modular

binder said it has completely redesigned its latest generation of molded M16 connectors. The previous version included many existing parts from field-wireable connectors, not all of which were ideal for the molded version, the company explained.

With an expanding portfolio and increasing demand, the company said it decided to fundamentally redesign the product to use a modular system, enabling many common parts between the unshielded and shielded variants.

“A key feature of the new connector design is the reduction in components,” said Sebastian Ader, product manager at binder. “Thanks to the modular system, we only need one additional part for the shielded and unshielded variants. This allows us to produce much more efficiently, offering cost advantages to customers without compromising on quality.”

Developing the new M16 connector was particularly challenging, said binder, because it had to comply with both the M16 standard (DIN EN 61076-2-106) and the stringent AISG standard (for the eight-pin shielded variant) in terms of IP68 sealing and compatibility between different manufacturers.

By optimizing the sealing system, the new M16 system resolves compatibility problems that have previously led to insufficient sealing, the company said. It added that the new generation of connectors is lead-free, meeting the EU RoHS2 Directive 2011/65/EU, including 2015/863/EU.

M16 suitable for industrial, field applications

When redesigning the M16 molded connectors, binder said it paid particular attention to applications in industrial machinery, camera systems, and pressure sensors. These areas require maximum electrical reliability, and therefore a robust connector system that functions under difficult operating conditions, it noted.

“Crane and excavator applications are a good example. Here, fixed-plug connections are required,” said Ader. “Particularly in critical moments, such as when lifting heavy loads, it is important that the connectors not only fit securely, but are also quick and easy to use.”

A triangular design is intended to make the new M16 connectors are easy to handle, even in sub-zero temperatures or when wearing gloves, for example.

“The new triangular design not only makes handling easier, but it also minimizes dirt-prone areas and undercuts, which enables use even in very harsh and demanding environments,” Ader said. “The new connectors can be reliably mated, unmated and locked at any time.’

The molded M16 connectors also meet requirements for shock resistance, vibration tolerance, and tightness, said binder. “In summary, the robust design ensures a reliable connection in extreme temperatures, dirt, and moisture, minimizes the risk of failure, and ensures the continuous operational readiness of the machines,” it asserted.

“With the molded M16 connector, we have succeeded in meeting market demands in terms of technical properties, handling, and price,” Ader said. “All this makes our solution a future-proof choice for demanding industrial applications.”

About binder

Binder USA LP is a subsidiary of binder Group, a leading global manufacturer of circular connectors, custom cord sets, and LED lights. The company‘s products are used worldwide in industrial environments for factory automation, process control, and medical technology applications.

Binder said its technical innovations meet the highest standards of quality and reliability. The company’s quality management system is ISO 9001 and 14001-certified, but binder said its solution-focused approach to customer applications and commitment to service differentiate it from the competition.

The post binder introduces M16 connectors with compact design, high sealing performance appeared first on The Robot Report.

Optimization evaluates multiple paths, sequences, poses, end-of-arm tool rotations, and interlocks for robots within a workcell. Source: Realtime Robotics.

Realtime Robotics, a leader in collision-free autonomous motion planning for industrial robots, last week named industry veteran Ville Lehtonen as its vice president of product.

Lehtonen brings experience in technology, product, and management, said Realtime Robotics. He most recently served as head of product at Pickle Robot Co., which he guided to a leadership position in the truck and container loading and unloading industry.

“Ville’s track record speaks for itself, and we’re confident he will be an excellent addition to the team,” said Kevin Carlin, chief commercial officer at Realtime Robotics.

“Our Optimization solution is already helping several manufacturing companies to reduce cycle times and improve productivity,” Carlin stated. “With Ville’s expertise, we can evolve to meet additional customer needs and expand its adoption throughout the manufacturing and logistics industries.”

Register now

Lehtonen expects ‘a massive gear change’

Prior to Pickle, Lehtonen was head of product for HighRes Biosolutions, a laboratory automation software company, and he was a co-founder and CEO of LabMinds Ltd., a laboratory automation company.

Lehtonen holds a BS and an MS in computer science from the Helsinki University of Technology and an MBA from Oxford University.

Ville Lehtonen. Source: LinkedIn

“I look forward to helping already highly automated production lines become even more efficient and cost-effective with the use of Realtime’s Optimization technology,” he said. “I am confident we can help manufacturers save tens of thousands of hours on their industrial robotics projects.”

“What Realtime is doing is a massive gear change in deploying automation,” Lehtonen added. “While this will be incredibly helpful for current manufacturers, the most exciting opportunities come from unlocking the economics for companies operating on a far smaller scale than the heavy users of robots. Realtime’s technology stack also can do for kinematics what real-time object-detection frameworks like YOLO [You Only Look Once] have done for computer vision, further lowering the barriers to entry in the robotics space.”

About Realtime Robotics

Boston-based Realtime Robotics said its technology generates optimized motion plans and interlocks to achieve the shortest possible cycle time in single and multi-robot workcells. The company claimed that its systems expand the potential of automation, empowering multiple robots to work closely together in unstructured and collaborative workspaces, reacting to dynamic obstacles the instant changes are perceived.

Realtime said its Optimization product uses a combination of proprietary software and experienced robotics and application engineering insights to drastically improve a manufacturer’s overall productivity. The system analyzes a customer’s existing digital twin, identifying bottleneck areas and recommending improvements based on desired parameters. 

Optimization can do all of this without interfering with ongoing production efforts, said Realtime Robotics.

The post Realtime Robotics appoints Ville Lehtonen vice president of product appeared first on The Robot Report.

Renesas said the RZ/T2H MPU provides powerful application processing and fast real-time control. | Source: Renesas Electronics Corporation

Renesas Electronics Corp. this week launched the RZ/T2H, its highest-performance microprocessor for industrial equipment. Thanks to its powerful application processing and real-time performance, the RZ/T2H is capable of high-speed, high-precision control of industrial robot motors for up to nine axes, the company said.

As demand grows to augment scarce labor, manufacturers are deploying industrial automation such as vertically articulated robots and industrial controller equipment. Renesas claimed that the RZ/T2H microprocessor (MPU) combines all the functionality and performance needed for developing production applications.

Industrial systems traditionally required multiple MPUs or a combination of field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to control these applications. However, the RZ/T2H MPU offers the same functionality on a single chip, said Renesas. This can reduce the number of components and save time and cost of FPGA program development.

The MPU supports a variety of network communications including Industrial Ethernet on a single chip. It targets industrial controller equipment such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs), motion controllers, distributed control systems (DCSs), and computerized numerical controls (CNCs).

“We have enjoyed outstanding market success with RZ/T2M and RZ/T2L,” said Daryl Khoo, the vice president of the Embedded Processing 1st Business Division at Renesas. “The RZ/T2H builds on that momentum, allowing our industrial customers to leverage their existing design assets while addressing even more innovative, demanding industrial motor control and Linux applications. Our customers have been particularly impressed that the RZ/T2H enables them to implement a nine-axis motor control all on just one chip.”

A global provider of microcontrollers, Renesas combines expertise in embedded processing, analog, power, and connectivity to deliver complete semiconductor solutions. The Tokyo-based company said its products accelerate time to market for automotive, industrial, infrastructure, and Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

Register now

RZ/T2H can generate robot trajectories

The RZ/T2H is equipped with four Arm Cortex-A55 application CPUs with a maximum operating frequency of 1.2 GHz. For external memory, it supports 32-bit LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM. Two Cortex-R52 CPUs with a maximum operating frequency of 1 GHz handle the real-time processing, with each core equipped with a total of 576 KB of high-capacity tightly coupled memory (TCM).

This allows high CPU- and memory-intensive tasks such as running Linux applications, robot trajectory generation, and PLC sequence processing to be executed on a single chip. At the same time, the RZ/T2H can handle fast and precise real-time control such as motor control and Industrial Ethernet protocol processing, said Renesas.

The RZ/T2H can control up to nine axes including three-phase PWM timers, delta-sigma interfaces for measuring current values, and encoder interfaces. It supports A-format, EnDat, BiSS, Hyperface DSL, and FA-CODER.

In addition, the company placed peripheral functions for motor control  on a low-latency peripheral port (LLPP) bus of the Cortex-R52 real-time CPU core, allowing high-speed access from the CPU.

The RZ/T2H has four Ethernet ports, three Gigabit Ethernet MAC (GMAC), plus an Ethernet switch. It also supports EtherCAT, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, OPC UA, and the next-generation Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) standard.

The combination of these Ethernet switches and GMAC allows the MPU to support multiple Industrial Ethernet controllers and devices. Renesas said this allows the system to adapt to a wide range of controller requirements, such as upper-layer Ethernet communications.

Block diagram of new RZ/T2H SOC. Click here to enlarge. Source: Renesas

Renesas offers specialized boards and software

The RZ/T2H comes with the Renesas Flexible Software Package (FSP), the same as all Renesas MPUs, and a Linux package that comes with long-term support. An out-of-the-box, multi-axis, motor control evaluation system is available. It includes inverter boards for driving nine-axis motors, a multi-axis motor control software package, and Motion Utility Tool (a motor control software tool).

Renesas has also included sample protocols for industrial Ethernet and software PLC packages to kick-start system development.

The company offers a “9-axis Industrial Motor Control with Ethernet” solution that combines the RZ/T2H with numerous compatible devices such as the RV1S9231A IGBT Drive Photocoupler and RV1S9353A Optically Isolated Delta-Sigma Modulator.

It said the resulting products enable compatible devices to work together to bring optimized, low-risk designs to market faster. Renesas offers more than 400 of these combinations with a wide range of products from its portfolio.

The RZ/T2H is now available. Renesas said plans to release the new RZ/N2H device, which offers the same performance as the RZ/T2H in a smaller package, in the first quarter of 2025. It said this will be suitable for industrial controller equipment such as PLCs and motion controllers.

The RZ/T2H is managed under the Product Longevity Program (PLP) for industrial equipment that requires long life cycles.

The post Renesas launches its highest performing MPU for industrial equipment appeared first on The Robot Report.

Oriental Motor has launched its new OVR Series of small industrial robots, which features articulated, cartesian, and SCARA models. The robots are powered by the αSTEP Hybrid AZ Series step-servo motors. Oriental Motor said these versatile robots are poised to have a major impact on improving automation operations.

The OVR Series features three types of robots:

Oriental Motors’ OVR Series Articulated Robot Arm | Credit: Oriental Motor

Articulated robots
The OVR Series articulated robots come in 4-axis, 5-axis, and 6-axis options. Users can control these robots with the MRC Series controller and AZ Series motor drivers. The robots feature a payload capacity of 1-5 kg, a parallel link mechanism, and can be combined with an electric linear slide for horizontal travel (5-axis and 6-axis).

Oriental Motor new SCARA Robot. | Credit: Oriental Motor

SCARA robots
The OVR Series SCARA robot is a small, 3-axis horizontal transport robot features a simple mechanism that can be controlled and constructed cost-effectively. The SCARA robot can be controlled with the MRC Series controller and AZ Series motor drivers. It offers a maximum reach of 410 mm and a payload capacity up to 3 kg.

Oriental Motor’s new Cartesian Robot | Credit: Oriental Motor

Cartesian robot
Oriental Motor said its new cartesian robot comes in a 3-axis model that also can be controlled with the MRC Series controller and AZ Series motor drivers. It offers a payload capacity up to 2.5 kg and a moving range 300 mm × 300 mm × 100 mm (X-Y-Z).

The company said the caretsian robot comes pre-assembled with three linear slides for simplified setup and reduced labor time.

The company said its MRCU Series Integrated Robot Controller combines the MRC01 controller and up to 6 AZ Series mini-drivers in a single compact unit, streamlining wiring and saving space. It supports EtherNet/IPTM or I/O connectivity, making it an ideal choice for the new OVR Series or AZ Series DC input actuators.

The key features of the MRC01-C Cartesian Robot Controller, Oriental Motor said, include a three-step programming process, direct EtherNet/IPTM control without ladder logic, and the ability to test using the free MRC Studio Simulator software.

Since its founding in Japan in 1885, Oriental Motor has been a world leader in motion control systems, concentrating for over a century on technological advancement and product design improvement.

The post Oriental Motor launches OVR Series industrial robots appeared first on The Robot Report.

The path toward general-purpose robots is being paved by software to accelerate application development. Flexiv last week launched Elements Series 3, the latest version of its adaptive robot control system to makes programming faster and easier.

The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company said its engineers have simplified the user experience, focusing on human-centered design and semi-automated features.

Founded in 2016, Flexiv said it is dedicated to developing and manufacturing adaptive robots. The company said it has integrated industrial-grade force control, computer vision, and artificial intelligence to deliver “turn-key automation” that can enhance efficiency while reducing operational costs and environmental impact.

Register now

Teach pendant plus simulation

Flexiv asserted that its new, ruggedized Teach Pendant and intuitive software allows programmers of any skill level to easily create and manage robotics applications, whether they’re in an office or on the production-line floor.

In addition, the Elements Studio 3D simulation tool allows users to design, test, and refine their applications before deploying them in the real world.

Fully compatible across PCs, the Teach Pendant, and all Flexiv robots, Elements Studio can reduce deployment time and minimize risk by allowing thorough testing in a virtual setting, claimed the company.

Source: Flexiv

Flexiv redesigns Motion Bar

As part of the newly released Elements hardware, the Motion Bar has also been redesigned. Based on user feedback, it now includes a status-indicator light and dedicated buttons for mode switching, Freedrive, and Jogging.

Flexiv said operators can use the Motion Bar independently or docked to the Teach Pendant for convenient robot control.

When coupled with the ability to build applications by physically moving a robot into position in Freedrive mode, the need for complex and time-consuming programming is removed. This hands-on approach means anyone can quickly and efficiently build, test, and perfect their application.

Source: Flexiv

Elements 3 supports more motion

Flexiv said it has enabled support for multiple external axes, bringing users seven-plus degrees of freedom (7+N DoF) motion control, making the software suitable for complex tasks involving dual-axis rotary platforms or linear guide rails.

Elements 3 also features additional enhanced drag-and-drop function blocks — known as primitives—to accelerate programming and application building. Flexiv recently helped a seafood producer develop a fish fillet-shaping application with its Rizon 4 collaborative robots.

The company said its updated hardware and software are fully compatible with all of its robots, including the newly released Moonlight Adaptive Parallel Robot.

Source: Flexiv

The post Flexiv releases Elements Series 3 to simplify robot simulation, programming appeared first on The Robot Report.

New Project GR00T workflows and AI world model tools are intended to help developers of robot dexterity, control, manipulation, and mobility. Source: NVIDIA

NVIDIA Corp. today announced new artificial intelligence and simulation tools to accelerate development of robots including humanoids. Also at the Conference for Robotic Learning, Hugging Face Inc. and NVIDIA said they are combining their open-source AI and robotics efforts to accelerate research and development.

The tools include the generally available NVIDIA Isaac Lab robot learning framework and six new robot learning workflows for the Project GR00T initiative to accelerate humanoid development. They also include new world-model development tools for video data curation and processing, including the NVIDIA Cosmos tokenizer and NVIDIA NeMo Curator for video processing.

Hugging Face said its LeRobot open AI platform combined with NVIDIA AI, Omniverse and Isaac robotics technology will enable advances across industries including manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics.

Register now

NVIDIA Isaac Lab to help train humanoids

Isaac Lab is an open-source robot learning framework built on NVIDIA Omniverse, a platform for developing OpenUSD applications for industrial digitalization and physical AI simulation. Developers can use Isaac Lab to train policies at scale for all types of robot movement, from collaborative robots and quadrupeds to humanoids, said NVIDIA.

The company said leading research entities, robotics manufacturers, and application developers around the world are using Isaac Lab. They include 1X, Agility Robotics, The AI Institute, Berkeley Humanoid, Boston Dynamics, Field AI, Fourier, Galbot, Mentee Robotics, Skild AI, Swiss-Mile, Unitree Robotics, and XPENG Robotics.

A guide to migrating from Isaac Gym is available online, and NVIDIA Isaac Lab 1. is available now on GitHub.

Project GR00T offers blueprints for general-purpose robots

Announced at the Graphics Processing Unit Technology Conference (GTC) in March, Project GR00T aims to develop libraries, foundation models, and data pipelines to help the global developer ecosystem for humanoid robots. NVIDIA has added six new workflows coming soon to help robots perceive, move, and interact with people and their environments:

1. GR00T-Gen for building generative AI-powered, OpenUSD-based 3D environments
2. GR00T-Mimic for robot motion and trajectory generation
3. GR00T-Dexterity for robot dexterous manipulation
4. GR00T-Control for whole-body control
5. GR00T-Mobility for robot locomotion and navigation
6. GR00T-Perception for multimodal sensing

“Humanoid robots are the next wave of embodied AI,” said Jim Fan, senior research manager of embodied AI at NVIDIA. “NVIDIA research and engineering teams are collaborating across the company and our developer ecosystem to build Project GR00T to help advance the progress and development of global humanoid robot developers.”

Project GR00T now includes six new workflows to accelerate humanoid development. Source: NVIDIA

Cosmos tokenizers minimize distortion

As developers build world models, or AI representations of how objects and environments might respond to a robot’s actions, they need thousands of hours of real-world image or video data. NVIDIA said its Cosmos tokenizers provide high quality encoding and decoding to simplify the development of these world models with minimal distortion and temporal instability.

The company said the open-source Cosmos tokenizer runs up to 12x faster than current tokenizers. It is available now on GitHub and Hugging Face. XPENG Robotics, Hillbot, and 1X Technologies are using the tokenizer.

“NVIDIA Cosmos tokenizer achieves really high temporal and spatial compression of our data while still retaining visual fidelity,” said Eric Jang, vice president of AI at 1X Technologies, which has updated the 1X World Model dataset. “This allows us to train world models with long horizon video generation in an even more compute-efficient manner.”

NeMo Curator handles video data

Curating video data poses challenges due to its massive size, requiring scalable pipelines and efficient orchestration for load balancing across GPUs. In addition, models for filtering, captioning and embedding need optimization to maximize throughput, noted NVIDIA.

NeMo Curator streamlines data curation with automatic pipeline orchestration, reducing video processing time. The company said this pipeline enables robot developers to improve their world-model accuracy by processing large-scale text, image and video data.

The system supports linear scaling across multi-node, multi-GPU systems, efficiently handling more than 100 petabytes of data. This can simplify AI development, reduce costs, and accelerate time to market, NVIDIA claimed.

NeMo Curator for video processing will be available at the end of the month.

Hugging Face, NVIDIA share tools for data and simulation

Hugging Face and NVIDIA announced at the Conference for Robotic Learning (CoRL) in Munich, Germany, that they’re collaborating to accelerate open-source robotics research with LeRobot, NVIDIA Isaac Lab, and NVIDIA Jetson. They said their open-source frameworks will enable “the era of physical AI,” in which robots understand their environments and transform industry.

More than 5 million machine-learning researchers use New York-based Hugging Face’s AI platform, which includes APIs with more than 1.5 million models, datasets, and applications. LeRobot offers tools for sharing data collection, model training, and simulation environments, as well as low-cost manipulator kits.

Those tools now work with Isaac Lab on Isaac Sim, enabling robot training by demonstration or trial and error in realistic simulation. The planned collaborative workflow involves collecting data through teleoperation and simulation in Isaac Lab, storing it in the standard LeRobotDataset format.

Data generated using GR00T-Mimic will then be used to train a robot policy with imitation learning, which is subsequently evaluated in simulation. Finally, the validated policy is deployed on real-world robots with NVIDIA Jetson for real-time inference.

Initial steps in this collaboration have shown a physical picking setup with LeRobot software running on NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano, providing a compact compute platform for deployment.

“Combining Hugging Face open-source community with NVIDIA’s hardware and Isaac Lab simulation has the potential to accelerate innovation in AI for robotics,” said Remi Cadene, principal research scientist at LeRobot.

Also at CoRL, NVIDIA released 23 papers and presented nine workshops related to advances in robot learning. The papers cover integrating vision language models (VLMs) for improved environmental understanding and task execution, temporal robot navigation, developing long-horizon planning strategies for complex multistep tasks, and using human demonstrations for skill acquisition.

Papers for humanoid robot control and synthetic data generation include SkillGen, a system based on synthetic data generation for training robots with minimal human demonstrations, and HOVER, a robot foundation model for controlling humanoid locomotion and manipulation.

NVIDIA and Hugging Face, which are collaborating on open-source AI and robotics R&D. Source: NVIDIA

The post NVIDIA adds open AI and simulation tools for robot learning, humanoid development appeared first on The Robot Report.

Despite this, innovative technologies continue to create new opportunities for motion control, attracting new entrants to the market through product launches or partnerships. Interact Analysis here discusses two new growth areas it has identified from its research and conversations with manufacturers: smart conveyance technology and robots with machine-integrated control.

Smart conveyance technology

Smart conveyance technology is a multi-carrier transport technology and is available as either linear or planar systems. The market for linear systems has surged over the past three years, with sales revenue growing from $237 million in 2020 to $488 million in 2023.

By 2029, sales of linear systems could exceed $1.1 billion, nearly five times the market size in 2020, according to Interact Analysis. Planar technology is still in its trial period, generating sales of nearly $20 million in 2023.

Since the research firm began tracking smart conveyance market data in 2020, the food, pharmaceutical, and general packaging industries were the main application markets for such conveyance systems. However, over the past two to three years, the landscape has changed with the rapid penetration of smart conveyance products in the Asian market, and a sharp increase in sales from the battery and electronics industries.

Encouraged by the growth momentum, new entrants are rapidly entering the market. As shown in the chart below, the number of suppliers almost doubled in 2023 compared with the year before. As of last month, 12 more companies have launched new linear smart conveyance products in 2024.

Most recently, German rotary indexer and conveyor manufacturer TAKTOMAT presented its new linear smart conveyor system powered by SEW Eurodrive at the Motek trade show. TAKTOMAT’s key clients are primarily from the automotive sector, so the new product is expected to have applications within this industry.

New vendors have not acquired meaningful market share, as the supplier base has not yet consolidated, noted Interact Analysis. However, it said it expects vendors to increase their presence, especially in their local markets: China, Japan, and Europe.

The supplier base for linear smart conveyance systems has expanded, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. | Source: Interact Analysis

Beyond this, Interact Analysis has also conducted research with companies planning to launch new smart conveyance technology products within the next few years. Most of them are suppliers of motion control components such as linear motors and servo products, or conveyor manufacturers.

After the cyclical downturn in the machinery industry comes to an end, we expect the revenue and supplier base of smart conveyance systems to see promising growth in Europe and North America, driven by developments in battery manufacturing and warehouse automation.

Naturally, rising demand for smart conveyance technology represents a growing market for motion control products, including servo and direct-drive technologies. Rather than offering smart conveyance systems in their own portfolio, some vendors are supplying key components to system providers.

For example, many automation companies, including Rockwell and Siemens, have partnerships with Planar Motor Inc. (PMI), which makes planar smart conveyance products, to equip PMI systems with servo drives and controllers.

Register now

Machine-integrated robots

The term machine-integrated robots refers to robots that are fully integrated into machine control platforms, either by eliminating robot-specific controllers or by retaining robot controllers but integrating the programming platform into the machine systems.

The first approach is more common for those machine-integrated robots currently deployed, which include customized robots made by machine builders or OEMs.

In 2023, global machine-integrated robot shipments reached nearly 20,000 units, of which shipments in the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific regions accounted for 31%, 41%, and 28% respectively. From 2023 to 2029, the market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.6%.

Compared with the standard industrial robot market — with annual shipments of more than 520,000 units — the machine-integrated robot market is currently much smaller but is expected to grow at a faster rate.

Steady growth is forecast for machine-integrated robots over the next five years. | Source: Interact Analysis

Engineer shortage drives automation demand

The shortage of experienced engineers is one of the major drivers of growth for the machine-integrated robot market. By integrating robot and machine controllers, engineers can control machines and robots in a unified development environment, without using robot programming languages. This helps reduce challenges for both machine builders and end users in finding or training engineers and operators for robotic machines.

OEMs’ motivations to build robots in-house is also fueling the adoption of machine-integrated robots. Machine builders and integrators increasingly have the capability to build mechanical parts for robots, with some OEMs choosing to make robots by themselves to save costs.

In customized scenarios, OEMs build special robot kinematics in-house, with a general automation controller enabling the practical integration of OEM-made robots with machines.

New entrants and partnerships are increasing the number of systems available for machine-integrated robots. Robot manufacturers, machine builders, and motion control system suppliers are all actively introducing new products and solutions.

For example, Rockwell Automation partnered with autonox Robotics in 2023, having previously entered a partnership with Atom Robot in late 2022. Now, robot arms from three vendors can be directly equipped with Rockwell PLCs.

Most recently, Siemens confirmed new cooperation agreements with collaborative robot makers Universal Robots and Jaka, further expanding the range of robots that can be directly programmed on its platform.

In the meantime, motion control suppliers also work closely with machine builders to provide solutions for OEM-made robots. For example, SEW offers a Parallel Arm Kinematics Kit to OEMs looking to make their own delta robots.

In China, many packaging machinery manufacturers exhibited machines with picking robots made in-house at the recent CIIF tradeshow.

Motion control has room to grow, finds Interact Analysis

The surging smart conveyance market and the emergence of machine-integrated robots offer new opportunities to motion control suppliers. Driven by the trends of digitalization, flexibility, and ease of use in the manufacturing industry, both technologies are expected to increase their penetration in the machinery industry.

Despite current challenges, many suppliers are preparing strategies for the next growth cycle. Companies with competitive products and solutions will gain an advantage when demand inevitably picks up.

About the author and Interact Analysis

As a research analyst based in China, Samantha Mou provides support in the industrial automation sector. Mou has a master’s degree in economics and has experience, while working in Germany, of conducting market research in industrial equipment and automobile components.

Interact Analysis said each of its team members has more than 15 years of experience in technology and market research. The firm has offices in Irthlingborough, U.K.; Austin, Texas; and Shanghai, China.

Editor’s note: This article was syndicated from Interact Analysis.

The post Interact Analysis identifies opportunities for motion control and robotics appeared first on The Robot Report.

A CRX-20iA/L robot slides a tray of cookies onto a rack. | Source: FANUC

FANUC America plans to showcase its latest packaging and processing innovations in Booth N-5332 next week at Pack Expo in Chicago. From food-grade collaborative robots to stainless industrial robots, it claimed it will demonstrate uninterrupted speed, reliability, accuracy, and dexterity—all while maintaining food safety—in real-world applications.

FANUC said its advanced automation provides high-quality solutions to common industry problems, including production, supply chain, and labor shortages. The Rochester Hills, Mich.-based company will feature industrial robots and cobots including:

• Food-grade CRX collaborative robots
• High-speed and versatile SCARA robots
• FANUC DR-3iB/6 STAINLESS food-grade delta robot
• The food-grade/cleanroom-type, long-reach LR Mate 200iD/7LC robot

FANUC to show picking, packing, and palletizing

The company asserted that its systems can deliver reliability and accuracy that minimize error, reduce product waste, and enhance overall quality control. FANUC said its demos will directly address common industry challenges.

A CRX-10iA robot picking objects from a box. | Source: FANUC

Collaborative robots

• Food-grade cobot bakery tray load and unload with iRVision: In this new dual-cobot cell, attendees can see the controlled loading and unloading of cookies on bakery trays. Demonstrating its impressive 1,418 mm (55.8 in.) of reach, the FANUC CRX-20iA/L food-grade cobot will use 3DV/400 iRVision mounted to its arm to locate and unload cookies from a tray and place them onto a conveyor, simulating a cookie-baking operation. A second CRX-20iA/L will then use a bakery tray to catch the cookies coming off the end of the conveyor and then place the now-full trays onto a cart.
• Food-grade cobot palletizing: Shown for the first time at PACK EXPO, the FANUC CRX-30iA food-grade cobot—with a 30 kg (66.1 lb.) payload and 1,756 mm (69.1 in.) of reach—will use PalletTool 3 software to efficiently palletize two pallets from a single infeed using a multi-case gripper.
• Intuitive cobot programming: In this kitting demonstration, attendees are able to use drag-and-drop icon based programming on the FANUC Tablet TP and three-button wrist to easily kit meat and cheese gift boxes with the CRX-10iA cobot. Suitable for those with little to no robotics experience, FANUC said the cobot’s ease of programming is paired with its reliable technology and sensitive contact detection that allows the CRX-10iA to work safely alongside people.

The M-710 Box Palletizer. | Source: FANUC

Industrial robots

• High-speed picking application with line-tracking tools: The DR-3iB/6 STAINLESS is FANUC’s first stainless-steel, food-grade delta robot for picking and packing primary food products. The company claimed that it sets new benchmarks for payload, speed, reach and sanitation in robotic food handling. Using iRVision and iRPickTool line-tracking software, this demonstration will pick and place randomly oriented fish fillets alongside an SR-12iA/C, showcasing high speeds and product reorientation.
• Food assembly with food-grade robots: Offering a best-in-class work envelope for both upright and invert mount installations, FANUC said its LR Mate 200iD series of tabletop industrial robots will assemble cheeseburgers in this demo. Working alongside the SR-6iA/C will be the LR Mate 200iD/7LC – both food-grade/cleanroom robots – picking and placing buns, burgers, and toppings before removing and reversing order so that the cycle can repeat.
• Automated palletizing and depalletizing: The six-axis M-710iD/50M robot, combined with two iRVision 3DV/1600 vision sensors and the FANUC iPC, will use the iPC’s AI Box Detection software to locate boxes within stock carts. Once located, the robot will depalletize boxes from one cart and utilize PalletTool to palletize them on the opposite cart. With one cart empty, the process will be repeated by depalletizing and palletizing back to the original cart. In this demo, tall stock carts highlight the advantage provided by the M-710i50-/50M’s curved arm. FANUC said its AI-driven iPC enables high-performance advanced picking in challenging lighting conditions to ensure seamless, reliable depalletizing.

FANUC to show new robotic controller

• Performance with FANUC’s new robot controller: Just announced, FANUC said its new R-50iA offers cybersecurity with a wide range of enhancements and has intelligent features designed to maximize robot performance. Attendees can learn about these and optimized efficiency demonstrated in a heavy payload palletizing cell that integrates the new controller.

Editor’s note: This article was syndicated from The Robot Report sibling site Engineering.com.

Register now

The post FANUC to display industrial, collaborative robots for food and packaging appeared first on The Robot Report.

Micromobility trials in Vancouver International Airport could lead to wider deployments. Source: A&K Robotics

Demand for mobility assistance in spaces such as airports is increasing as populations age and more people travel. Robots and autonomous vehicles can help meet that demand amid persistent labor shortages, according to A&K Robotics Inc.

Since 2016, the Vancouver, B.C.-based company has been developing electric micromobility platforms and self-driving robotic pods to help improve quality of life and environmental sustainability.

“We’re not replacing wheelchairs in airports and other facilities,” said Jessica Yip, co-founder of A&K Robotics. “Our pods are intended to help people with mobility limitations.”

A&K Robotics rolls out airport robots in phases

In July, A&K Robotics said it is bringing its Cruz self-driving robotic pods at the Vancouver International Airport (YVR). The company had already tested its systems at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in 2022. 

Jessica Yip, co-founder of A&K Robotics

“[Co-founder] Matt [Anderson] and I envisioned going to several airports when we started the company,” acknowledged Yip. “We then decided to focus on quality over quantity.”

“We had previously delivered one or two robots for relatively short durations,” she told The Robot Report. “It takes resources to bring a team and a 400-lb. mobile robot to each facility.”

“We knew we’d take a multi-stage approach to commercialization,” added Yip. “We researched the problem space and came to the conclusion that the automated mobility experience is really important to an airport’s customers — and to its business.”

“We’re prioritizing airports with high standards for operations and efficiency versus those that want robots as a novelty for marketing,” she said. “We’re focused on real-world operations and building our product to enable airports and airlines to have a high level of customization for branding.”

Finding value at the dawn of digitalization

In most airports, wheelchairs and shuttles must be manually fetched and brought to passengers and gates, noted Yip. Just knowing where they are in million-square-foot facilities or even parking lots can be a challenge requiring staffers to walk long distances and spend precious time.

“YVR has 10 million sq. ft., fire and ambulance service, IT, wildlife and aquariums, and plumbing — it’s actually a small city,” Yip said. “We have a great opportunity to test a mobility use case where there’s demand right now.”

“Our pods are connected IoT [Internet of Things] devices, and we’re building dashboards and tools for airports to know where their fleets are and their battery status,” she explained. “By digitizing control, they could even remotely deploy a pod to a gate.”

“We’re just on the cusp of learning what value we can bring with robots enabled by AI, sensors, and data,” she said.

Partnerships to boost Canadian robotics

Last month, A&K Robotics announced strategic partnerships to promote the adoption of robotics across Canada. It is working with telecommunications leader Bell Canada, battery and charging provider Delta-Q Technologies, and assistive charity the Rick Hansen Foundation to build an ecosystem of robots, cloud infrastructure, electric vehicle systems, and new manufacturing facilities.

“Some critical technologies are necessary for self-driving systems to scale,” explained Yip. “For quality of service, we need 5G connectivity, and we’re working with Amazon Web Services for cloud services to deploy fleets.”

“When robotic sensors pick up environmental changes, our systems will perform better at scale than in ones or twos,” she added. “They can detect if a gate is boarding and divert other robots to avoid congestion.”

Register now

A&K Robotics expects micromobility to grow globally

The global micromobility market could expand from $79.1 billion (U.S.) to $243.2 billion by 2030 at a compound annual growth rate of 17.4%, predicted Maximize Market Research Pvt. Ltd. It cited advances in IoT and battery technology. A&K Robotics said it is poised to lead in that growth.

“We’re currently focused on a few strategic accounts in the Canada, the U.S., and Europe that each have five to 10 units,” said Yip. “We need boots on the ground and want to develop an initial model to implement mobility that we can then replicate.”

What are some of the differences between regions?

“In the EU, the responsibility for providing wheelchair assistance lies with the airport and its service provider, while in North America, that responsibility is with the airline, from budget to luxury,” replied Yip. “From a passenger standpoint, the EU model is better, especially if one gets bounced around among connecting flights.”

North American airports are beginning to realize that they need to invest in mobility assistance for older passengers, she said.

“Our long-term goal is to integrate mobility in a way that’s sustainable for us and the airport,” concluded Yip. “Airports are also launchpads for smart-city applications. It doesn’t make sense to deliver a pizza with a five-seater car; there have to be more sustainable options.”

The post A&K Robotics refocuses micromobility testing in select airports appeared first on The Robot Report.

SmartReach combines the precision of a machine tool with five-axis articulation. | Source: Comau

Comau last week announced the worldwide launch of SmartReach Comau, its new TPX Robot Teach Pendant, and its new in.Grid digital platform, all for ease of use. The company made the announcements at BI-MU, an Italian exhibition for metalworking, machine tools, robots, automation systems, and additive manufacturing.

“As an Italian company and worldwide leader in designing flexible and versatile automation that increases efficiency and optimizes productivity, 34.BI-MU is the ideal backdrop to unveil our newest technologies,” stated Pietro Gorlier, CEO of Comau.

“Our comprehensive solutions portfolio allows us to offer innovative and flexible solutions to customers operating in a wide range of markets,” he added. “In particular, the products we’ve launched here at BI-MU are designed to support multiple industries where automation is experiencing double-digit growth.”

Register now

Founded in 1973, Comau specializes in industrial automation and advanced robotics. The Turin, Italy-based company also supplies collaborative robots, wearables, vision-based systems, and software.

In July, Stellantis NV, Comau’s former owner, signed a binding agreement in which One Equity Partners will make a majority investment in Comau S.p.A. The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the private transaction, which they said they expect to close by the end of 2024.

New products promise optimization, efficiency

SmartReach Comau is a system that combines the precision of a machine tool with the agility of five-axis articulation, according to Comau. Its modular design allows the system to realize six-sided machining in only one clamping, boosting overall equipment efficiency while reducing time and costs.

Next, the TPX Robot Teach Pendant has a touchscreen display, an intuitive interface, and virtual simulation tools. The company said they can transform how users maneuver, program, and monitor robots. The teach pendant includes features for 3D application and path simulation. 

The in.Grid digital platform, on the other hand, is an equipment-agnostic, real-time monitoring system. With it, customers can use advanced tracking capabilities to monitor critical key performance indicators (KPIs), including equipment effectiveness, production rates, and downtime.

“Our comprehensive reporting tools facilitate informed decision-making,” claimed Comau.

The company asserted that by letting companies track performance, identify bottlenecks, and pinpoint areas for improvement, it gives them actionable insights to optimize productivity.

Comau shows other technologies

Comau also demonstrated its new generation of water- and dust-resistant small robots, the SFamily. It is designed to deliver precision, speed, and reliability across a wide range of general industry applications, including welding and handling.

In addition, the company exhibited its MI.RA/Picker, a standard system for automated random bin-picking tasks. Created to handle bins filled with single-type objects, MI.RA/Picker can eliminate manual, repetitive tasks, significantly increasing productivity and cost efficiency.

Comau’s MATE-XT and MATE-XB wearable exoskeletons are designed to help reduce biomechanical loads on the upper and lower back, improve ergonomics, and lower worker fatigue.

The company said that its technology portfolio is designed to deliver high performance without compromising environmental sustainability. This includes smart, scalable systems that are engineered for maximum versatility and adaptability, and intuitive-based control paradigms to address the increasing shortage of skilled labor and robotic engineers.

Comau said its strategy extends to dedicated expertise in retooling and repurposing existing lines and equipment to increase manufacturing efficiency and flexibility. For instance, Comau recently designed a fully automated assembly line to produce pickup trucks at the JMC Ford Xiaolan Plant in Shanghai.

The post Comau debuts SmartReach, TPX Robot Teach Pendant, and in.Grid appeared first on The Robot Report.

Estun was among the many companies showing humanoid robots at CIIF in China. Credit: Georg Stieler

Over the past three years, more than half of the world’s robots were sold in China. While not historically seen as a technological leader in robotics, China is increasingly setting global trends in this industry. Georg Stieler, head of robotics and automation and managing director for Asia at STM Stieler Verwaltungs-GmbH, shared his impressions from this year’s China International Industry Fair, or CIIF, in Shanghai.

CIIF was packed, despite a sales slowdown

Even as China is facing its worst economic sentiment in 20 years, CIIF was vibrant and full of energy. We estimate a 20% drop in industrial robot sales in the first half of the year—mainly due to a cooling investment boom in electric vehicles, batteries, and photovoltaics

However, there are bright spots in the country‘s market: 3C (computers, communication, and consumer electronics) is gaining in importance again. Also, collaborative robots are on a growth path, driven by applications in electric vehicle production and inspection.

Register now

Robot manufacturer exhibits show key themes at CIIF

The leading robotics manufacturers focused on the following key themes at the exhibition:

• FANUC presented applications for battery production, cutting, painting, palletizing, and semiconductor manufacturing, as well as dynamic uses of cobots. However, as the market statistics suggest, the Japanese company is facing challenges because to its high price levels compared with local competitors in the latter segment.
• ESTUN showcased its wide product range and industry-specific solutions, particularly in the battery, solar, and automotive sectors. The Chinese company featured cobots more prominently than in 2023.
• KUKA and ABB demonstrated applications that highlight the technical strengths of their robots and differentiate them from local competitors. ABB introduced the Ultra Accuracy feature for its GoFa cobot for ultra-precise applications in the electronics, automotive, aerospace, and metalworking industries.

In addition, exhibitors highlighted the following topics at the event in China:

Cobots in EV production

Credit: Georg Stieler

Assembly and inspection applications in batteries and electric vehicles have become a major growth driver for cobot sales. Universal Robots, Aubo, JAKA Robotics, and Flexiv prominently presented their respective systems for this field.

Cobots with 30-40 kg payload

Credit: Georg Stieler

Complete palletizing systems, including cameras, grippers, and software, start at €12,000 ($13,157 U.S.) — significantly less than comparable offerings in Europe or the U.S. Pictured above is a FANUC system at the upper end of the price range.

Intelligent welding solutions

Credit: Georg Stieler

3D cameras and automated path planning were featured by all major cobot manufacturers. QJAR, a domestic supplier, presented a large-scale welding system for steel structures and claimed to have sold 2,000 robots in a single batch, doubling its sales.

Heavy load robots take to the floor at CIIF

Credit: Georg Stieler

Accordingly, FANUC, ESTUN, ABB, Yaskawa, and others demonstrated their capabilities in this field. Mech-Mind demonstrated a product to streamline battery pack assembly using 3D cameras and intelligent path planning.

We expect robots with payloads of 300 kg (661.3 lb.) and higher to be used in more palletizing applications within industries such as chemicals, food and beverage, as well as warehousing and logistics.

Computer vision and AI

Credit: Georg Stieler

Mech-Mind show its improvements for handling shiny and reflective surfaces, as well as its own large language model (LLM) interface. HIKVISION highlighted 3D-guided welding and advanced inspection tasks and co-exhibited an integrated inspection solution with ESTUN. Agilebots and Micro-Intelligence, a start-up, presented a model in which robots assembled building blocks autonomously.

Advanced tactile intelligence

Credit: Georg Stieler

Flexiv and JAKA showed advanced wire-harnessing applications, relying on force sensors and dynamic force control.

Inovance displays ambitions at CIIF

Credit: Georg Stieler

Inovance, known as the “little Huawei,” presented its industrial robots in an automotive body-in-white setting (see above). After taking market share from established Japanese players in the SCARA segment, this highlighted the Shenzhen, China-based company‘s ambition in multi-axis robotics.

Robots currently contribute less than 5% to Inovance’s revenue, but given its strong position in industrial automation, this could change quickly. Inovance’s real-time synchronous industrial wireless module offered a glimpse into its vision for the future.

Humanoid robots ubiquitous at CIIF

ESTUN, JAKA, and many other companies presented humanoid robots. So far, they serve more as proof of Chinese firms’ capabilities to churn out new hardware quickly.

Even the more promising models are still years away from successful commercialization.

The post CIIF 2024 shows major robotics trends in China appeared first on The Robot Report.

The PCMM2G programmable motion controller has a 1.5 to 3.5 times faster fieldbus cycle rate than previous models. | Source: Kollmorgen

Kollmorgen this week released its new PCMM2G programmable motion controller. The company said this scalable controller offers simple integration with systems based on the Kollmorgen Automation Suite as well as with third-party devices. This allows it to bring new capabilities and increased performance to everything from standalone machines to complex, modular automation systems. 

The PCMM2G controller is compatible with previous-generation PDMM and PCMM controllers from Kollmorgen. The company claimed that It offers a simple migration path while enabling greater flexibility and a 1.5 to 3.5 times faster fieldbus cycle rate than the PDMM or PCMM.

The controller also supports most third-party automation systems while improving performance and ease of use, said Kollmorgen.

“Whether you’re a Kollmorgen Automation Suite customer, or you’re looking to maximize the performance of third-party motion components, our next-generation PCMM2G is designed for you,” stated Chris Cooper, product management senior director at Kollmorgen.

“It’s exceptionally fast and powerful. It’s fully featured and versatile,” he added. “And it’s an easy way to bring advanced automation capabilities to practically any industrial application, from small simple machines to large highly complex environments.”

The PCMM2G’s technical details

Kollmorgen said its new controller is based on a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor that delivers industry-leading cycle times. It supports up to 64 axes of synchronized path motion, including S-curve and other complex moves.

The PCMM2G controller also includes 16 GB of internal flash memory, six digital inputs, two digital outputs, integral functional safety modules, and an onboard human-machine interface panel.

For fast integration with most systems, the system is equipped with 100BASE-T connectivity that supports UDP, HTTP, Modbus, Ethernet/IP, and PROFINET. The controller also includes dual Ethernet ports, which allow system configuration while connected to an industrial network.

An uninterruptible real-time clock with battery backup, plus support for an external time-keeping server via network time protocol (NTP), ensures precise timing and synchronization across all axes, Kollmorgen said.

Kollmorgen offers plug-and-play support

For Kollmorgen PDMM and PCMM controller users, the PCMM2G offers step-by-step migration assistance. The company said all customers can count on full support, both online and live. 

The new product also includes plug-and-play capabilities with the Kollmorgen Automation Suite and third-party systems. The controller’s integrated tools simplify and speed network configuration, servo tuning, and machine optimization, said Kollmorgen.

In addition, support for file management and backup/restore is provided through a USB slot to accommodate removable flash drives.

When used as part of the full Kollmorgen Automation Suite, the PCMM2G controller offers the additional benefits of simplified inventory, reduced setup time and consolidated software, said the company. It also asserted that PCMM2G provides the confidence of having one trusted automation supplier with fully integrated components and complete system validation.

Kollmorgen said it has more than 100 years of motion experience. Its extensive product portfolio includes motors, drives, linear actuators, automated guided vehicle (AGV) control systems, and automation control platforms. The The Radford, Virginia-based company said its technology combines performance, reliability, and ease of use to give machine builders a marketplace advantage. 

Meet with Kollmorgen at RoboBusiness

If you’re interested in learning more about Kollmorgen’s latest products, the company will be exhibiting at RoboBusiness 2024, which takes place Oct. 16 and 17 in Santa Clara, Calif. The company will be exhibiting at Booth 325 on the expo floor. 

Additionally, at 2:45 p.m. PT on Oct. 16, Todd Brewster, director of electromagnetic engineering at Kollmorgen, will discuss the evolution of motor science, from theory to action. He will examine the technology‘s role in enabling robots to satisfy industrial demands and to be commercially successful.

Brewster’s session, which will be on Day 1 of RoboBusiness, will share insights into how motors can be designed to improve thermal dynamics and robot efficiency. He will also discuss how to design high-performance systems while also considering weight, size, and cost factors.

Register now for RoboBusiness, which is co-located with DeviceTalks West. The events are produced by WTWH Media, which also publishes The Robot Report, Automated Warehouse, and Collaborative Robotics Trends, as well as produces the Robotics Summit & Expo.

Register now

The post Kollmorgen emphasizes flexibility with new programmable motion controller appeared first on The Robot Report.

The PBC15 cable connector from binder comes with flange components to support industrial applications. Source: binder

Today’s demanding industrial applications require compact, robust connectors that can reliably transmit high currents and voltages, noted Binder USA LP. The provider of circular connectors today announced special flange components that act as plug-in partners for its PBC15 cable connector.

The PBC connector system is designed to transmit high currents and voltages in tight spaces, said Binder. It claimed that combining it with the new components enables tailored systems for a wide range of applications, such as in-drive technology.

“The system is particularly suitable for applications where power and signals need to be transmitted via a cable,” stated Philipp Zuber, product manager at Binder. “With the option for shielding, the connector is also optimal for applications with high demands on signal integrity or where electromagnetic transmission is required.”

PBC15 flanges provide secure connections

The PBC15 connector supplies power and signals to three-phase and asynchronous motors and frequency inverters, said Binder. Due to its properties, it can be used in drives, automation, intralogistics, and mechanical engineering—for example, in fans, pumps, and packaging machines.

The new flange components create seamless connections for secure power and signal transmission, the company explained. This further enhances the PBC15 system’s advantages, said Binder.

The flange components are available as flange plugs and sockets — with locking mechanism — each in unshielded plastic or shielded versions with metal components. They offer standard wire cross-sections of 1.5 mm² and 2.5 mm² with wire lengths of 250 mm, enabling current transmission of up to 16 A at 630 V.

The PBC15 flange components feature an M20x1.5 mounting thread, which can be directly mounted in the customer-specific housing, device, or motor housing using a locknut. A quick locking mechanism can be achieved with a ¼ turn.

The standardized flange components are cross-manufacturer compatible, according to DIN EN IEC 61076-2-116, offering maximum flexibility, Binder said.

Register now

About binder

Camarillo, Calif.-based Binder USA is a subsidiary of Baden-Württemberg, Germany-based binder Group AG, a leading global manufacturer of circular connectors, custom cord sets, and LED lights. Its products are used in industrial environments for factory automation, process control, and medical technology applications.

The company said its quality management system is ISO 9001 and 14001-certified. Binder asserted that its focus on solving customer problems and commitment to service differentiate it from the competition.

The post PBC15 cable connector from Binder USA includes plug-in components appeared first on The Robot Report.

A whitepaper explains how to reduce robot jitter with software for greater industrial productivity. Source: BlackBerry QNX

Robots need to precisely synchronize for manufacturing applications such as assembly, welding, and materials handling. BlackBerry QNX recently released a whitepaper on “Optimizing Robotic Precision: Unleashing Real-Time Performance with Advanced Foundational Software Solutions.”

The document provides guidance to manufacturers on reducing jitter in high-speed robotic motion. Otherwise, it can lead to misaligned components, defective products, and a decrease in throughput and efficiency, said the company.

Founded in 1980, QNX supplies commercial operating systems, hypervisors, development tools, and support and services for critical embedded systems. Acquired by BlackBerry in 2010, the Ottawa, Canada-based unit serves industries including aerospace and defense, automotive, heavy machinery, industrial controls, medical, and robotics.

Register now

BlackBerry QNX explains purpose of whitepaper

Louay Abdelkader, senior product manager at QNX, replied to the following questions about the whitepaper from The Robot Report:

Who is the target audience for this whitepaper?

Abdelkader: Our QNX whitepaper is to advise and inform those responsible for building the software that goes into automated guided vehicles (AGVs), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), robot motion controllers. [They’re also responsible for] teach pendants for robot control, data collection and processing, mapping, image analysis, path planning, obstacle avoidance and autonomy.

For example, it is relevant to software engineers, developers and leaders, product/program managers, and other technical and non-technical audiences.

What are the conventional approaches for mitigating jitter and latency in robotics, and how do they fall short?

Abdelkader: As the needs for fully or even partially autonomous systems increase, the software stack becomes the centerpiece of these systems, and as such, they become more feature-rich and complex. Because these systems are safety-critical and require very reliable and deterministic behavior, “hard” real-time requirements become prevalent.

The limitations of general-purpose operating systems like Linux become more apparent due to its lack of safety certifications and hard real-time behavior.

There are several reasons why the switch from general-purpose OS that comes with “soft” real-time behavior to hard real-time OS (RTOS) makes sense. These include:

• Determinism and timing guarantees – Hard RTOS provide strict timing guarantees on response times and execution deadlines.
• Complexity management – As software in robots becomes more complex, ensuring that your OS can handle mixed-criticality tasks is essential. With Hard RTOS, there are features and capabilities that allow designers to use mixed-critical software in the same stack and ensuring that the right separation is provided to avoid cross-contamination in case of faults or safety/security-related events that could occur during the deployment of the system.
• Safety – Hard RTOS come with safety and security features baked in, because they are utilized in safety and mission-critical systems. And some hard RTOS, like the ones QNX provides, come with not only the safety features and capabilities, but also the safety certifications needed for specific environments including industrial automation.
• Fault tolerance and reliability – In safety-critical applications, such as collaborative robot applications and surgical robots, fault tolerance and reliability are paramount. Hard RTOS are often designed to be very robust with high mean time between failures, as well as mechanisms to handle faults and ensure continued operation even in the event of hardware failures or unexpected events. It is particularly effective with a microkernel architectural design where the kernel and OS services are separated. This ensures that if an OS service fails, it doesn’t contaminate the kernel and cause it to be affected or crash, which could bring the system down.

What are some examples of real-time operating systems for the “soft,” “firm,” and “hard” approaches?

Abdelkader: In the hard real time behavior, strict time constraints with guaranteed response times are expected. Missing a deadline is not an option, as the consequences are nothing short of catastrophic, especially in highly safety-critical applications.

Consider an AMR navigating a high-traffic warehouse, for example. Any delay in its ability to respond to obstacles and change direction could lead to collisions, potentially causing damage to goods and posing a safety risk to personnel. 

Soft real-time behaviors introduce a measure of flexibility where a system’s operations degrade if it cannot meet specific timing requirements. While these systems aim to meet deadlines, they can occasionally tolerate minor deviations without disastrous outcomes.

In an industrial setting, vision systems for inspection play a role here. These systems ensure the quality and accuracy of manufactured products, where minor delays in inspection may affect production efficiency but not result in severe consequences. 

The firm real-time behaviors are akin to soft real-time but with a slight difference. Data arriving after the deadline is often deemed invalid. A prime example in robotics is automated 3D printing systems.

In additive manufacturing, if a layer isn’t deposited precisely on time, it can result in defects in the final product. While minor deviations might not be catastrophic, they could lead to the rejection of a printed part, which can harm production efficiency and waste materials.

We’ve heard that artificial intelligence can get away from deterministic and rigid approaches to robotic reactions. Is that true yet?

Abdelkader: In robotic systems, low latency and jitter are an essential component for both AI and non-AI applications. In applications for robots, real-time control will continue to require low latency (minimal delay in processing) and low jitter (consistency in timing) to ensure safe and deterministic operation.

Determinism ensures that responses to sensor inputs or environmental changes happen predictably and within a specified timeframe. Where AI models are deployed on the edge, on devices with limited computation resources, deterministic processing can also help optimize resource utilization and ensure timely responses without unpredictable delays.

RTOS promises to improve robot reliability

How might QNX improve reliability and safety? Would multiple systems be needed while a component is restarted?

BlackBerry has designed its QNX microkernel for optimization.

Abdelkader: The QNX RTOS is a hard real-time OS built with the microkernel architecture, renowned for its inherent security, safety, and reliability. This architecture isolates the kernel, which is the most important component of the OS, in its own memory space and operates the system services in their own memory space outside the kernel, which provides additional isolation and safety barriers within the OS.

By reducing complexity and potential failure points, QNX facilitates thorough verification through rigorous testing, including fault injection testing and formal methods. Faults within individual components are contained, enabling dynamic restarts without system-wide impact or shutdowns.

In safety-critical embedded systems, where the maxim “No safety without security” holds true, the microkernel’s small footprint enhances security practices and restricts privileged access. Moreover, its modular design allows for customization tailored to specific application requirements, making QNX an ideal choice for robotics systems prioritizing robust safety and reliability.

Does this RTOS require additional power or sensing? Are there minimum requirements? How ruggedized does it need to be?

Abdelkader: The QNX RTOS are found in microprocessors with memory management units running on either an Intel x86 or ARMv8 or ARMv9 processors. When comparting the size of QNX to Linux, the number of software lines of code is significantly smaller in the kernel.

As a result, it typically requires less memory and processing power to operate and bring up the kernel efficiently with the added benefits of improving performance where real-time applications require predictability and consistent behavior.

With its smaller kernel codebase, it also means that there are fewer – and smaller – potential points of vulnerability. This  helps enhance the robustness and reliability of the system, since the kernel is the most important component of the OS.

Time-tested in numerous applications around the world, you’ll typically see QNX deployed in applications from slower-paced environments like nuclear power plants or an ocean buoy, to faster-paced environments like industrial robots and automotive.

QNX can integrate with other systems

Does the QNX architecture rely on any connectivity to the cloud, fleet managers, or other robots? Can it be used with them?

Abdelkader: The QNX architecture itself is primarily designed for embedded systems and real-time applications where reliability, safety, and security are a priority. It operates independently of cloud connectivity or fleet management systems.

Although QNX itself does not provide built-in cloud-connectivity features, it can be integrated with cloud services, fleet management systems or additional software layers. Developers can implement cloud connectivity with middleware such as ROS or applications that support communication protocols like MQTT or OPC UA.

This process allows QNX-based devices to interact with cloud services for data storage, remote monitoring, digital twinning, etc.

QNX can also be integrated into fleet management systems through software applications that handle tasks such as device tracking, telemetry data collection, and fleet optimization. This integration involves developing software components that communicate with QNX devices.

As it relates to inter-robot communication, robots using QNX can use standard communication protocols like TCP/IP to collaborate, share data, and coordinate tasks effectively.

What do robotics developers and suppliers need to know about integrating such systems in their products? How much work is required on their side?

Abdelkader: QNX provides POSIX compliant RTOS, which simplifies development for those familiar with POSIX compliant OS like Linux. This computability means that developers can use existing knowledge and tools, streamlining the integration process.

Moreover, QNX offers both safety certified products like the QNX OS and QNX hypervisor. The RTOS ensures deterministic behavior for safety-critical applications, while the hypervisor allows consolidation of hardware onto one SoC through software – allowing developers to build safety and non-safety applications on the same platform.

The post BlackBerry QNX provides guidance on minimizing jitter, latency in robotics appeared first on The Robot Report.

HiveBotics used MoveIt Pro to develop the Abluo bathroom-cleaning mobile manipulator. Source: PickNik Robotics

PickNik Inc. today launched MoveIt Pro Release 6, the latest version of its platform for developing robotic arm applications that were previously not possible or economically feasible.

“The intelligent decisioning capabilities of MoveIt Pro, including real-time object identification, force control, motion planning, and multi-step processing, opens up a vast new set of opportunities.” stated Dave Coleman, founder and chief product officer of PickNik Robotics. “Additionally, with MoveIt Pro’s rapid development platform, we can reduce development costs by 75%, even for the most complex robotic applications.”

Founded in 2015 for the Amazon Picking Challenge, PickNik Robotics has developed software to help organizations improve precision and efficiency in industries ranging from aerospace to construction and logistics. The Boulder, Colo.-based company is also active in the open-source Robot Operating System (ROS) community.

“Our algorithms are fundamental across lots of different industries, and MoveIt Pro can save companies from having to build applications from scratch,” Coleman told The Robot Report. He will speak about the top reasons why robotics companies fail at RoboBusiness, which will be on Oct. 16 and 17 in Santa Clara, Calif.

“The majority of robotics companies come out of grad schools,” said Coleman. “I know the robotics side, which is why we brought Dave Grant in as CEO.” 

Register now

MoveIt Pro 6 designed to help robots be more adaptable

Robots have historically been constrained by limited flexibility, as well as the need for pre-planned movements and highly structured environments, noted PickNik Robotics. This limited them to simple, repetitive tasks, and reprogramming required significant cost and effort.

The company claimed that MoveIt Pro “shatters these limitations” with new features:

• Real-time object recognition: This empowers robots to make intelligent choices and adapt to unexpected obstacles, said PickNik.
• Dynamic path planning: MoveIt now enables the identification of optimal paths on the fly.
• Force-compliant and IO controllers: These allow robots to handle objects of varying sizes and weights with precision. MoveIt Pro 6 also supports whole-body control for mobile manipulators. 

In addition, MoveIt Pro 6 includes intelligent runtime decisioning, which facilitates multi-step operations and allows robots to overcome unexpected obstacles or environmental changes. It can handle variations in object size, weight, or orientation, as well as pose and visualization for new and enhanced behaviors.

PickNik Robotics touted MoveIt’s hardware-agnostic design. Its Pro RRTConnect joint-space planner and improved configuration parser support a range of off-the-shelf robot arms, end effectors, cameras, and other hardware components to reduce project costs. MoveIt Pro 6 comes with additional documentation and an updated user interface.

In addition, MoveIt Pro 6 includes debugging tools to further reduce development and deployment times, asserted the company. It also includes a physics-based simulation engine including RGBD cameras, 2D and 3D lidar, force-torque sensors, and vacuum or magnetic grippers for rapid prototyping of welding or nailing systems.

“MoveIt Pro 6 moves away from Gazebo for simulation and digital twins, taking a cue from the videogame industry,” Coleman noted. PickNik won a 2023 RBR50 Innovation Award for MoveIt Studio, the predecessor to MoveIt Pro.

“MoveIt Pro Release 6 is not just a software update; it’s a catalyst for innovation across industries,” added Dave Grant, CEO of PickNik. “We’re enabling our clients to automate processes that were previously not possible, from adaptive manufacturing to agriculture and beyond. Clients are only limited by their imaginations.”

HiveBotics halves development time with PickNik 

“My engineering journey started when I was looking at a lot of open-source materials,” said Rishab Patwari, CEO of HiveBotics Pte. Ltd., which is developing the Abluo cleaning robot. “PickNik had written a lot of the guides and understood different motion planners. I had no advisers or money in the beginning, so I leaned on documentation.”

“MoveIt took care of the infrastructure for controlling a robot arm so we could focus on what we wanted to do — developing systems to clean,” he recalled. “I really like that it’s hardware-agnostic. We had used many different arms, and it was painful to learn each arm’s programming.”

Not only did PickNik provide packages for perception, planning, and obstacle detection, but it also offered consulting and co-development services, said Patwari. MoveIt provided layers of abstraction so that Singapore-based HiveBotics did not have to spend as much time and effort on things such as iterative closest point (ICP) perception, manipulation, and waypoint inspection, he explained.

For example, HiveBotics used MoveIt to develop a computer vision segmentation model for parts of a toilet bowl that generates how Abluo’s arm can move in real time.

“These things are complex and became core to our capabilities to provide a good experience for customers,” Patwari said. “PickNik’s infrastructure let us focus on how to clean, a strong value-add. We hope to deploy the Abluo restroom-cleaning robot by December, and thanks to MoveIt, it took one year rather than two years to develop.”

HiveBotics is looking to apply its experience and artificial intelligence to other workflows, including cleaning aircraft and addressing plan-and-scan requests in construction.

“HiveBotics’ team has done a lot of the work upfront, and I think mobile manipulation is easier to deploy than fixed automation, which needs to be calibrated,” observed Coleman. “With a mobile base, if the robot can’t reach something, it can just move, which allows for more rapid deployment.”

MoveIt Pro 6 reflects PickNik’s approach to offering core capabilities. Early on, the company provided engineering consulting for custom systems with multimillion-dollar price tags, Coleman said. Now, customers can reduce costs and risk and scale more easily, he said.

“We see our clients bifurcate — there are those like HiveBotics that are focused on business opportunity and time to market,” said Grant. “Other companies see themselves in the business of providing services, such as cleaning in meat-processing plants.”

“Some robotics companies are trying to become software companies,” he added. “Another customer in the residential home-construction business plans to use MoveIt Pro’s hardware-agnostic, intelligent decisioning to enable robots to pick up existing tools. We’re looking to partner with innovators across key markets, such as automotive assembly.”

The post PickNik Robotics releases MoveIt Pro 6 to cut developer costs, time to market appeared first on The Robot Report.