Robots on the AUTOMATICA 2012

Here's my short and absolutely subjective as well as uncomplete overview of the AUTOMATICA 2012 exhibition at Munich.

What's new???

The M-2000iA series from FANUC ROBOTICS is the world's largest and strongest six-axis, modular construction, electric servo-driven family of robots, designed for a variaty of manufacturing and system processes.

This robot demonstrates a handling operation of motor blocks. It's equipped with quick change and gripping systems from SCHUNK.

 Here you see the heavy-load quick change system that allows the robot to change the actuator / its robot hand for different handling operations.

Two 2-finger grippers (looks like the PGN+ series from SCHUNK)  grasp the motor blocks and the robot takes them to the next process.

Here's the robot after changing its robot hand / gripping systems from the 2-finger grippers to a special gripping system grasping some bigger devices.

At the same time on the SCHUNK exhibition booth...

SCHUNK: superior clamping and gripping.

Now together with our new brand ambassador and former world-class goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.

View into the SCHUNK lounge designed like a soccer locker room.

Our exhibition booth moderator and anchorwoman Jessica Kastrop together with Jens Lehmann.

SCHUNK panel discussion with soccer experts and guests out of the automation branch.

This is what we call a well-attended exhibition stand... ;-)

What else did I see?

SCHUNK light weight arm with integrated anthropomorphic SDH hand as a part of a development project to test washing machines automatically from the Italian company Loccioni.

DLR project: The human at the centre – safe, intuitive collaboration with robotic systems.

Humanoid walking machine.

Last but not least: Justin, the 43-axis robot / mobile humanoid torso from DLR - great!

Automobile Briar Rose

Things always seem to happen when you least expect them.

So it happened this sunny Sunday afternoon, when we just wanted to be sun-seekers on our walk through Schwaebisch Hall after a visit of the Alex Katz exhibition at the Kunsthalle Würth.

In one of the lanes of the old town we found it accidentally: Das automobilistische Dornröschen - the automobile Briar Rose!

It took a short while to find out that it was an old FIAT 124 Spider we discovered in a rundown courtyard under a hugh blackberry bush.

And far and wide there was neither a noble prince nor a competent car mechanic who could rescue our Briar Rose out of her perpetual sleep.

By the look of things there seems to be no rescue for this former automobile beauty any more. 

The only "act of deference" I could do for the Fiat 124 was to take these remembrance photos.

Schwaebisch Hall today...

AUTOMATICA 2010

- view on hall B1 of the AUTOMATICA 2010 fair -

Yesterday I was on the AUTOMATICA 2010 fair in Munich, one of the leading exhibitions for robotics, automation and mechatronics. Under the motto "Green Automation" (Engineering sustainability) more than 800 exhibitors showed the latest trends and technologies in the field of industry & service robotics.

SCHUNK - the most innovative and well-known manufacturer of handling components for robots and automation systems.

***  STAY IN THE BLUE ZONE   ***

Link to: AUTOMATICA SCHUNK TV

service robotics: SCHUNK LWA3 - light weight arm mounted on a modern wheelchair for seriously handicapped people. A controlable helping hand for those who cannot use their own arms and hands anymore.

modular assembly automation: SCHUNK pick and place units - the fastest in the world...!

packaging industy: SCHUNK LEG - large stroke electrical gipper - wodden (development) version. As rigid as with an aluminum housing, but much ligher.

robot manufacturer: FANUC heavy load jointed-arm robot with a "fantasy" giant gripper

(future?) service robotics: humanoid test robot with 51 (!) controlable axis - from DLR - Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt