Preston’s Recap: May 2024

AGVs equipped with sensors and navigation systems – provides fast and accurate deliveries. AGVs help to eliminate time from Point A to Point B. We have integrated our equipment into smart factories where AGVs are responsible for taking product from our conveyor to its next destination. Having seen how impressive robotic technology can be, it is truly remarkable how fast technology has improved! Talking to our design team, I was able to observe the custom designs that we have implemented in the past for AGV applications that allow for seamless integration at the end of our conveyor.  

Robotic picking/packing has taken the once heavily manual labor dependent process and turned into a more efficient & accurate automated one. We have been in warehouses where robots are sent to retrieve or put away items into an AS/RS system. Our conveyor systems are often placed in robotic palletizing systems, as well as end-of-line packaging automation systems. We have seen the rise of robotics firsthand with the change in the applications where we have been providing our conveyor systems. Over the past couple of years, there has been a significant increase in robotic applications.  

It seems that these collaborative robots have increased in popularity as a plethora of Cobot manufacturers were recently featured at the “Automate 2024” a couple weeks ago in Chicago. The reason for their popularity is due to their ability to be able to work safely with their human counterparts. In the past, robots were in a work cell surrounded by safety fencing, but with their advancement in the safety features, human material handlers can now work with them for enhanced workflow! Recently I saw a demonstration of a robotic arm working side by side in proximity, clearly displaying the advancements.