Reeco Automation to exhibit at pioneering industrial robotics conference

Future Robotics, the UK’s only independent industrial robotics conference, arrives on Tuesday 13 November in The Slate, Warwick University – and Reeco Automation will be showcasing its latest innovations at the event.

With the UK’s manufacturing industry falling behind the rest of the world when it comes to investing in robotic automation technology, Datateam Business Media has announced the launch of Future Robotics: a one-day event with a pioneering approach to the topic. 

Challenging ideas and opening minds

Leveraging on Connecting Industry’s leading portfolio of publications, including media partners Automation; Factory Equipment; Materials, Handling & Logistics; and Process & Control, the event will act as a timely resource for discussing vital trends.

With preconceptions about utilising robotic automation rife in the UK’s manufacturing industry, Future Robotics will focus on practicalities. Whether it’s ‘What ROI can be expected?’, ‘Which sectors/processes are most suited?’ or ‘What type of robots are available?’, the conference will provide a true insight into the benefits and realities of using the technology for design, production, finishing, materials handling and more.

 Callum Blackwell, event director, explains: “Given where the UK market sits against other countries around the world when it comes to investing in robotics, we thought this would be the perfect time for a conference that responds to this industry’s motivations and ambitions. Future Robotics is about answering the big questions on the current climate and looking at where we need to be in the future.”

 Delving into the market

 The focused seminar programme will feature the industry’s most important speakers – including presentations from the foremost robotics experts, manufacturers and suppliers sharing ‘real world’ case studies, building an informative picture of both the current and future markets.

The table top exhibition space will also showcase the latest products from leading brands, including  Reeco Automation, and feature a live demonstration area; giving attendees an enjoyable and immersive experience of robotics innovation.

Be part of the action!

Future Robotics is a must-attend date on the calendar of any manufacturer that currently implements, or is looking to introduce, industrial robotics into its processes.

Delegate tickets costs just £55.00, including lunch and refreshments throughout the day. Spaces are limited and selling fast – to secure a ticket, visit www.futurerobotics.co.uk.

Yaskawa Motoman - Reeco Cobot Partnership

Yaskawa UK Ltd MOTOMAN Robotics division has partnered with Reeco Automation as a solution provider for their new MOTOMAN HC10 collaborative Robot, a 6 axes human-collaborative robot (cobot). Reeco Automation specialize in providing solutions in automating systems using Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC / Cobots) with a focus on reducing production costs while improving both productivity and quality.

The innovative design of the Motoman HC10, which can operate with a payload of 10kg and a reach of 1200mm, ensures that they can operate without additional protective measures like a safety fence. Operator safety is assured by a power and force limit technology that stops the robot in case of contact with an operator. The reduced requirement for external safety measures depends on a risk assessment, but typically the overall footprint and cost of a cobot application is reduced when compared to a traditional industrial robot application.

Ideal applications for the Motoman HC10 cobots are repetitive, manual processes that take place around human workers, such as machine tending, pick-and-place operations and especially those jobs that have the potential for repetition injuries, or require human workers to interact with dangerous machinery.

Jonny Grey, Yaskawa UK Sales Manager commented “Yaskawa already has more than 40 years’ experience in producing industrial robots and have more than 400,000 installed globally. The HC10 is our first collaborative robot and we wanted to work with a UK robot integrator that has established experience and success in cobot applications, which is why we chose to work with Reeco”.

Reeco specialize in offering solutions for integrating collaborative robots with existing factory equipment and employees including a team of experienced engineers supplying and commissioning robotics into multiple industries. 

Llewelyn Rees managing director of Reeco, commented: “We are delighted to be working with Yaskawa, the HC10 is built with the industrial strength and quality for which Yaskawa is known for.”

Reeco Automation have designed and manufactured a robotics base (RB) system for the HC10 cobot and its controller. The result is a versatile, mobile solution which is designed to fit into an existing production line, typically for human-robot collaborative assembly.  ENDS.

More details at:  https://www.yaskawa.co.uk/          https://www.reeco.co.uk/

https://www.reeco.co.uk/yaskawa-hc10-cobot

Contact: Jonny Grey, UK Sales & Marketing Manager, Motoman YASKAWA.

jonny.grey@yaskawa.eu.com     Tel: +44 (0) 1295 272755    www.yaskawa.eu.com

Reeco and Kuka work together to reduce strain on workers and cut cycle times

We're very excited to share this brilliant video filmed by KUKA Robotics of our recent installation at BMW/Mini Plant Oxford.

The implementation of this collaborative robot system at the plant, can help prevent strain on workers while cutting cycle times. We're an Official System Partner of Kuka, as Katherine Johnson, Marketing Manager at KUKA UK explains;

“The KUKA System Partner Programme brings together skills and innovation to develop automated manufacturing solutions across a number of vertical markets. Continual product innovation and development ensures that our comprehensive portfolio supports our system partners, giving them a competitive edge in the market, as they look to provide customers with the fastest route to production, utilising automated robotics.”

Can you spot the Reeco logo in the video below?

Targeting a variety of industries, primarily automotive, we have the knowledge and experience of an established integrator who can bridge the gap between traditional manufacturing applications and automated processes, improving operational efficiencies through the implementation of automated HRC (human robot collaborative) robotic cells.

Reeco features in Summer edition of Advances Wales magazine

Reeco Automation has been featured in the Summer edition of Advances Wales magazine. 

Advances Wales is a free quarterly magazine published by the Welsh Government, showcasing the latest news, research and developments in science, technology and engineering in Wales.

To read our article visit:

https://businesswales.gov.wales/innovation/sites/innovation/files/documents/Issue%2085.pdf

Robbie and Roberta, two collaborative robots join ASD Lighting's workforce

Established Rotherham based lighting manufacturer ASD, have embraced Industry 4.0 technology and recently installed two ‘cobots’ (collaborative robots) onto their street lighting production line. This is a bold move for ASD with concerns that automation will replace jobs, however this couldn’t be further from the truth as they explain:

ASD Lighting, formed in 1983, have been manufacturing in the UK from their two hundred thousand square foot factory in Rotherham for almost 35 years. ASD Lighting presents a comprehensive range of commercial, domestic, industrial street and security lighting which has been designed, developed and manufactured to the highest standards.

ASD have developed a service to ensure that they work in partnership with their customers, to build relationships that can be trusted and relied upon. They offer a unique product range with innovative features, with the best quality at the right price to ensure customer satisfaction, providing products Brighter by Design.

ASD’s fast and efficient manufacturing processes, in-house specialists and state of the art technology allows them to meet the ever-changing requirements of their customers, whilst offering industry leading services and delivery times.

As a company they’re embracing Industry 4.0 technology and have recently installed two new collaborative robots on their street lighting production line. A collaborative robot, also known as a cobot is a robot that is capable of learning multiple tasks, so it can assist human beings. A collaborative robot is intended to compliment the human worker’s capabilities, not take the place of a human worker.

Robbie and Roberta are the two UR5 cobots that have joined ASD’s workforce, Robbie entered the line first and Roberta shortly followed. Both cobots have been installed by leading collaborative robot integrators Reeco Automation. Reeco, based in the heart of Mid Wales, supply customers with solutions in automating systems using Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC/Cobots).

They focus on providing the customer with an automated solution that will ultimately save them money and reduce production costs. They offer their customer’s a solution of integrating collaborative robots with their existing factory equipment and employees.

Robbie and Roberta are now assisting the ASD team with three tasks; placing of the lenses and fixing the screws on the PCB boards and lenses of the popular street lights. With the factory manufacturing ** of these street lights every day, these three tasks were highly repetitive and perfect for the implementation of automation. With repetitive tasks like this, an increasing concern for manufacturers like ASD Lighting is Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), integration of cobots like Robbie and Roberta significantly reduces the risk of RSI for workers. From day one, ASD didn’t want these cobots to replace jobs, their sole purpose was to improve the jobs for their workers by reducing the labour-intensive tasks.
It’s proven with factory’s that implement automation that they become more productive, therefore increasing jobs not removing them. This statement is very true within ASD Lighting, productivity has increased on the street lighting line, therefore more units are being produced everyday which has required additional staff to be employed further down the production line.

NOTES TO EDITORS

• For more information/interviews/photos, please contact Jessica Watts on 01686 688 833 or email: jessica.watts@reeco.co.uk

• reeco.co.uk