ROBOTICS OTTO partners with Altech to expand in Japan

Combines with a collaborative robot.

Autonomous mobility. Omron Automation Americas’ LD-250 autonomous mobile robot carries payloads of up to 250 kg while avoiding people and obstacles by calculating the best routes to transport material.

The automation company based in Hoffman Estates, Ill. says its Fleet Manager system controls up to 100 mobile units with different payloads through a single system while managing traffic, battery charging and navigation.

An extra-sturdy structure handles unwieldy items traditionally transported in human-operated carts. The LD-250 is customizable with special conveyor tops, courier systems and adaptive material handling mechanics. It also takes advantage of several Omron technologies such as the high accuracy positioning system (HAPS), side lasers and acuity vision localization. Combining the LD-250 with Omron’s collaborative robot creates a heavy-duty mobile manipulator that handles tasks along with material transport. automation.omron.com

No disruption programming. RobotWorx, a Marion, Ohio automation integrator, is partnering with OCTOPUZ Inc., a robotics software developer in Waterloo, Ont., to enable programming of path-sensitive, complex robot applications on a computer without disrupting the manufacturing process.

Users create detailed virtual simulations of their real-world robot cells in minutes, complete with machinery and manufacturing components. Within this virtual cell, OCTOPUZ uses built-in machine logic to automatically identify the optimal toolpath trajectory and program the required code for a multitude of industrial tasks. The code is then accurately converted to the robot brand’s unique language for use in the real world. www.robots.com https://octopuz.com

High performance. DENSO Robotics, a global supplier of advanced robotic technology in Anaheim, Calif., has launched new VM-VL series robots for large part manufacturing, transportation, warehousing and other industrial applications.

VM robots are built to handle payloads of up to 55 lb. (25 kg) and come in two models: one with a maximum arm reach of nearly 5 feet (1.5 metres) and the other with a maximum arm reach of nearly 6 feet (1.8 metres). The VL robot handles payloads of up to 88 pounds (40 kilograms) with a maximum arm reach of more than 8 feet (2.5 metres).

Features include enhanced internal wiring for safer, more efficient operations; an easyto-use RC9 programmable logic controller; and WINCAPS Plus, new software that optimizes 3D visual programming, motion planning and position guidance. Applications include large part assembly, long reach computer tool tending, palletizing and depalletizing, material removal and deburring, and 3D bin picking. www.densorobotics.com

All-round robot. The KR QUANTEC robot from KUKA Robotics Canada in Mississauga, Ont. covers several applications,

ROBOTICS

OTTO EXPANDS TO JAPAN Partnering with Altech to serve industry

OTTO Motors is expanding its presence in the Japanese market where the Kitchener, Ont. manufacturer will provide its materials handling robots to industrial companies.

Operating in Canada since 2015, OTTO first deployed robots in Japan in 2018. This move is the first outside North America for the industrial division of Clearpath Robotics Inc.

The company produces self-driving vehicles that move materials within manufacturing and warehousing facilities.

OTTO is partnering with Altech, a specialized trading company that imports advanced machinery and equipment from Europe and the US to support Japanese companies.

Current customers are in the automotive, logistics, food and industrial equipment industries. HIROTEC, a Tier 1 automotive parts supplier to Mazda, installed three OTTO self-driving vehicles that deliver door panels to welding cells at its Hiroshima plant. This deployment eliminated eight legacy autonomous guided vehicles.

The global market for mobile robotics is projected to exceed $224 billion by 2030, according to ABI Research , a global technology market advisory firm. OTTO on the move. PHOTO: CLEARPATH

such as handling, spot welding and high path accuracy processes (laser cutting and milling).

The newest version carries a payload of up to 300 kg and is suitable for nearly every market segment, including the automotive, aerospace, foundry and medical industries.

Fast and precise, it uses enhanced oil for a longer lifespan, and has leaner interference contours.

Digital motion modes ensure optimal robot motion for specific applications. www.kuka.com

Customizes to specific applications.

Research robot. Dingo, the lightweight indoor robot from Clearpath Robotics in Kitchener, Ont. is designed for research and education. Suitable for benchtop and laboratory testing, it’s extensible (allows the addition of new capabilities and functionality) and programmable.

It comes in differential and omnidirectional drive configurations for a wide range of indoor robotics applications such as autonomous navigation, mobile manipulation, and mapping, reaching speeds of 1.3 metres per second. The payload is up to 20 kg.

The robot comes with a range of computing options, and the ability to greatly upgrade battery power, allowing users to fully customize for specific applications.

Dingo includes wheel encoders, programmable front-facing LED lights and a payload mounting system, as well as tool-less access to user power and communication ports for integrating sensors, manipulators and other third-party hardware. www.clearpathrobotics.com/ dingo