Combined Trade Shows in Anaheim Introduce the Latest in Robotics and Manufacturing
Thousands of attendees are expected to gather on February 11 – 13 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, for the annual ATX West manufacturing trade show.
This year, just like every year, thousands of attendees will descend upon Anaheim, California for the ATX West manufacturing trade show. Joining these attendees will be well over 1,000 exhibitors from across the robotics manufacturing industry, showcasing the latest technologies across the entire product cycle of robotics and automation.
Here’s a preview of what to look out for this year:
Universal Robots’ New Cobot-powered Solutions
This year, Universal Robots (UR) – a leader in collaborative robots – will showcase how cobots can now be used to power repetitive and technically complex tasks that manufacturers trouble to find staff for.
The company will also showcase tools for parts inspection in augmented reality. Many manufacturers are still using hand tools such as height gages and calipers for measurement. This is not only inefficient, but it causes problems with consistency and measurement for complex parts and geometries. To solve this problem and automate the inspection process, Universal Robots’ cobots, in collaboration with 3D Infotech’s UMA Smart Station, can be used to automate the parts measurement process.
Another common application for cobots is machine tending. Despite this widespread use, each application needs a semi-customized robot cell for maximum benefit and developing these can be time consuming. At the show, UR is expected to demonstrate a solution that has been developed in partnership with Vention – a cloud-based 3D CAD that allows users to design, simulate and deploy a complete robot cell in just a few days.
Universal Robots will showcase its cobots (collaborative robots) for manufacturing roles at this year’s ATX West. Image used courtesy of Universal Robots.
Omron’s Upgrade to MicroHAWK
Omron’s popular MicroHAWK family of robots has just got a major upgrade. The company will be displaying its brand-new MicroHAWK models, dubbed ‘MicroHAWK 2.0, which adds new networking capabilities and builds upon the platform’s overall configurability and performance.
Through the combination of code reading and vision in a single device, MicroHAWK is the “ultimate solution” for traceability, a core strategy for success in the current manufacturing industry, as well as that of tomorrow. Omron has said that its traceability demos – including MicroHAWK as well as other vision products and connected controllers – showcase a system that is essential for the transition to Industry 4.0.
Traceability isn’t all that Omron will be showcasing at ATX. The company is also a leader in robotics and automated materials transport, and its most recent development – the LD-250, capable of carrying up to 250kg – will be on show at Booth 5095 where it will be using its onboard navigation features to move around on its own.
Robotics development is one of the anticipated trends at ATX West 2020. Image used courtesy of ATX West.
Epson’s All-in-One-6-Axis and SCARA Robots
Epson Robots, the number one SCARA robot manufacturer, will demonstrate how its latest robots meet the needs of high-performance precision parts automation via simulation.
The company’s latest entry-level product is the VT6L All-in-One-6-Axis robot that comes with a built-in controller, 900mm reach, and a payload of up to 6kg. Epson will demonstrate the robot’s simple pick-and-place operation, showing how it is able to handle larger end-of-arm tooling for dual pick applications.
What’s Trending This Year?
A large area of emphasis that attendees will see is the trend of robotic and automation solutions for the factory floor. Many exhibitors will be featuring robotics that are built for use in manufacturing plants across various industries.
3D printing will also feature heavily, with the market expected to be worth some $34.8 billion by 2024. This year, a major topic will be looking at how 3D printing can deliver immense value in the manufacturing process beyond basic prototyping. This is because 3D printing can influence manufacturing processes and help them perform at a higher level and faster performance.
With exhibitors including many of the world’s foremost robotics companies, attendees can expect to see the latest in motors, drives, sensors, motion control, and more.
