Page 45 - Food and Drink Business Magazine May 2019

Robots reach out
Robots were out in force again at AUSPACK – but they’ve evolved! They’re more independent, mobile and easy to use than ever. Here are just some of the specimens we spotted.
AUSPACK REVIEW
A FLEXIBLE FLEET
Robotic Automation held live demonstrations of its robotics solutions at AUSPACK 2019. It also offered free automated guided vehicle (AGV) software appraisals to visitors.
Robotic Automation sells AGVs embedded into many systems, and the company’s managing director Colin Wells says a game changer is currently underway. Clients can now edit their own AGVs, which has been impossible in the past.
On display at the Robotic Automation stand was the new GP8 high-speed model, which staff demonstrated live alongside the new YRC1000 controller and smart teach pendant.
The stand also featured the new GP25; the MH180 materials handling robot; live demonstrations of new gripper technology with FSU; and the RoboPac mobile robotic wrapper.
SANBOT MANS THE STAND
The Sanbot Intelligent Robot from Qihan was a feature on the stand of Advanced Robotics Australia, a provider of smart automation, robotic and professional service solutions.
The company’s office manager Natalia Vejar said the humanoid customer service robots were already in use around the world in medical centres, schools, and hotels. Sanbot’s industrial uses include mobile security.
“They can learn faces, take pictures and can activate and send a silent alarm to a computer,” Vejar said.
A UNIVERSAL SOLUTION
The Robot People and Mobile Automation were demonstrating a variety of cobots from Universal Robots that can work alongside human staff in action on their shared stand.
The company had a number of UR cobots as well as robot grippers from OnRobot, which were busying themselves with various tasks, including materials handling, on the stand.
The companies were also demonstrating MiR autonomous mobile robots, which Craig Taylor, business development manager at Mobile Automation described the “the iPhone of robots” due to their ease of use.
www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au | May 2019 | Food&Drink business | 45