Box opening payback in six months for handling, storage and logistics industries

~ Toshiba Machine robots provide flexibility, speed and accuracy ~


TM Robotics (Europe) Limited has launched a unique robotic system for automating the opening and cutting of cases, boxes and cartons in the European market. Called ABOT (Automated Box Opening Technology), the system was developed and patented in the US by Cornerstone Automation Systems Inc, a specialist in hardware and software solutions for logistics and warehouse operations. TM Robotics believes that operations shifting 2,500 boxes a day will receive payback on the system in six months.

The ABOT uses a vision system to measure a box moving down a built-in conveyor. It then tailors the way the box is cut to a pre-programmed pattern. Perfect for use in the handling, storage and logistics industries, ABOT is capable of dealing with up to twelve hundred cases per hour.

ABOT can accept material to be opened in any combination or order without the need to run the same size boxes, batches or groups together. The ABOT finds applications in re-packaging operations, returns processing, stocking, distribution and replenishing picking shelves in order fulfilment operations.

“We envisage the ABOT providing enormous benefits to handling, storage and logistics companies by reducing worker injuries and damage to products,” explained Nigel Smith, managing director of TM Robotics. “The machine can even be used for automating the production of point of display material as well as simply opening stock items,” he continued.
Two different versions of the machine, ABOT ONE and ABOT DUO, use single pass through or double pass through conveyors for opening 600 or 1200 items per hour respectively. The latter option is based on a dual lane configuration to provide optimum output while the former caters for lower capacity operations on a more affordable budget.

The maximum case size is 760mm in length by 600mm wide and 500mm high. The minimum case size is 100x75x50mm in the same dimensions. Maximum cut depth is 7mm while minimum is 0.0mm, representing a perforation. Options include an automated blade changer, a blade integrity monitor, double glass doors, glass panels, automated top removal, display and dispensing case cut patterns as well as inner packaging opening. Optional functions for the ABOT include case dimensioners, check weighers, label readers and bar code scanners, providing several verification options for products received.

Ends — 419 words

Editor’s note: If you want to stay constantly up to date on the latest news from TM Robotics, paste the following link into your RSS reader, http://tmrobotics-pr.blogspot.com/atom.xml. If you don’t have an RSS reader, I can recommend the following free package Sharp Reader.

For further information contact: Nigel Smith
TM Robotics (Europe) Ltd, Unit 15, The Weltech Centre,
Ridgeway,Welwyn Garden City, Herts. AL7 2AA
Telephone: +44 (0)1707 871535 Fax: +44 (0)1707 393959
www: http://www.tmrobotics.co.uk/ e-mail: sales@tmrobotics.co.uk

Press enquiries: Richard Stone
Stone Junction, 24A Waldram Park Road,
Forest Hill, London, SE23 2PN
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
www: http://www.stonejunction.co.uk/ e-mail: richards@stonejunction.co.uk

REF: TRE002

A vision of the future

Motek, September 26 – 29, 2006, The Exhibition Centre Sinsheim, Hall 1, Stand 1326

~TM Robotics shows advanced vision system at Motek~

TM Robotics, the firm responsible for the sales, marketing and support of Toshiba Machine's industrial robots throughout Europe, will be demonstrating an innovative conveyor and vision tracking system at Motek this year. Based on two of the company’s TH450 SCARA Robots connected to a standard industrial vision system, it will demonstrate not only the function of tracking items as they move along a conveyor, but also the robot’s ability to determine the parts’ orientation and discriminate between different products.

“As a handling and assembly show, Motek is the perfect place to demonstrate our new system,” explained Nigel Smith managing director of TM Robotics. ”I believe it will find applications in industries as diverse as pharmaceuticals, packaging and food and electronics, machinery and equipment manufacturing and automotive component handling.”

With the new conveyor tracking system it is possible to construct an inexpensive and high speed line using existing industrial vision sensors, linked via industry-standard Ethernet. The robots’ movements can be interpolated to the conveyors direction and speed; therefore products can be picked without ever needing to stop the conveyor.

The vision sensor which provides the part coordinate data, can be positioned anywhere on the conveyor, upstream of the robots. Parts are then picked as they enter the robots’ working area. The system automatically identifies each work piece and can also perform part sharing or discriminative handling of the items between several robots on the same conveyor. The system has also been designed for multiple conveyors – for example, the conveyor tracking synchronisation can be executed on one conveyor for picking a part and then synchronized to a second conveyor for placing the part.

Examples of the extensive Toshiba Machine TH SCARA range and Cartesian robots are also on show at the stand. The TH series offers arm length from 250mm to 1050mm and can carry payloads from 3 to 20kg, with a positional accuracy of between 0.01mm and 0.03mm. These are extremely quick, accurate and cost effective, yet have extensive functionality. They are ideally suited to the handling and assembly of components and can position parts with extremely high levels of precision.

Words: 376

For further information contact:
Nigel Smith - TM Robotics (Europe) Ltd
Unit 15, The Weltech Centre, Ridgeway,
Welwyn Garden City, Herts. AL7 2AA
Telephone: +44 (0)1707 871535
Fax: +44 (0)1707 393959
www: http://www.tmrobotics.co.uk/
e-mail: sales@tmrobotics.co.uk

Press enquiries: Richard Stone
Stone Junction, 24A Waldram Park Road,
Forest Hill, London, SE23 2PN
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
www: http://www.stonejunction.co.uk/
e-mail: richards@stonejunction.co.uk

Ref: TRE0010/1006

Eine Vision für die Zukunft

Motek, 26.-29. 2006 September, Messezentrum Sinsheim, Halle 1, Stand 1326

~TM Robotics zeigt anspruchsvolles Bildverarbeitungssystem auf der Motek~

Die Firma TM Robotics ist für Verkauf, Marketing und Support von Toshiba Machine Industrierobotern in Europa verantwortlich und wird auf der diesjährigen Motek ein innovatives Bildverarbeitungssystem zur Überwachung von Förderanlagen vorstellen. Das System basiert auf zwei TM RA-Robotern vom Typ TH450 und einem handelsüblichen industriellen Bildverarbeitungssystem. Es demonstriert die Überwachungsfunktion für bewegliche Objekte und die Fähigkeit der Roboter zur Bestimmung der Orientierung von Teilen und zur Unterscheidung zwischen verschiedenen Produkten.

„Als Fachmesse für Montage- und Handhabungstechnik ist Motek der ideale Ort um unser neues System vorzuführen,“ erläutert Nigel Smith, Geschäftsführer von TM Robotics. „Das System kann in den verschiedensten Industriebereichen eingesetzt werden. Beispiele sind Pharma, Verpackung, Lebensmittel, Elektronik, Maschinenbau und Fahrzeugkomponenten.“

Das neue System zur Überwachung von Förderbändern ermöglicht den kostengünstigen Aufbau von Hochgeschwindigkeitsanlagen auf der Grundlage handelsüblicher Bildverarbeitungssensoren mit Ethernet-Anschluss. Die Roboterbewegungen können je nach Bewegungsrichtung und Geschwindigkeit der Förderanlagen interpoliert werden. Daher können Produkte aufgenommen werden, ohne dass das Förderband angehalten werden muss.

Der Bildverarbeitungssensor, der die Koordinatendaten für die Teile zur Verfügung stellt, kann an beliebiger Stelle entlang des Förderbands vor den Robotern positioniert werden. Die Teile werden beim Einlaufen in den Arbeitsbereich des Roboters aufgenommen. Das System identifiziert sämtliche Teile automatisch und ermöglicht unterschiedliche Handhabung von Objekten durch mehrere Roboter auf demselben Förderband. Das System ist zur Synchronisation mehrere Förderanlagen geeignet. So kann zum Beispiel die Aufnahme und Ablage von Teilen zwischen verschiedenen Förderbändern synchronisiert werden.

Auf dem Messestand von Toshiba Machine werden außerdem weitere Modelle der TH SCARA-Reihe und (kartesische) Roboter zu sehen sein. Die TH-Reihe bietet Armlängen zwischen 250mm und 1050mm mit einer Tragfähigkeit zwischen 3kg und 20kg und einer Lagegenauigkeit zwischen 0,01mm und 0,03mm. Die Maschinen sind äußerst schnell, präzise und kostengünstig, bieten jedoch gleichzeitig umfassende Funktionalität. Sie eignen sich ideal für die Handhabung und Montage von Komponenten mit hoher Positionierpräzision.

Wörter: 311, Zeichen: 2211

Für weitere Informationen wenden Sie sich bitte an:
Nigel Smith - TM Robotics (Europe) Ltd Unit 15,
The Weltech Centre, Ridgeway,Welwyn Garden City, Herts. AL7 2AA
Tel: +44 (0)1707 871535
Fax: +44 (0)1707 393959
www: www.tmrobotics.co.uk
E-Mail: sales@tmrobotics.co.uk

Presseanfragen: Richard Stone
Stone Junction, 24A Waldram Park Road,
Forest Hill, London, SE23 2PN
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
www: www.stonejunction.co.uk
E-Mail: richards@stonejunction.co.uk

Ref: TRE0010/1006

High fat + high sugar = low sales

This letter was sent by Nigel Smith, MD of TM Robotics, to the editors of selected food and engineering magazines. It was in response to several articles about a survey conducted by RTS Flexible Systems:

Dear Editor,

A recent survey on adoption of robotics in the food industry, by RTS Flexible Systems, highlighted some interesting issues. However, one factor this otherwise excellent research didn’t consider was the current state of the food market. With sales of traditional food items and highly processed food falling in the last quarter, and sales of health food rising, we can now see real evidence that the British publics’ eating habits are changing. UK food manufacturers need to change or extend their product ranges to include more health food and alternative food products. Unless you are a manufacturer that has found a profitable niche market, high fat and high sugar now equal low sales.

Without recognition of this, in the shape of greater flexibility on the factory floor, I doubt whether the long term contracts between manufacturer and retailer, called for in the survey, will be forthcoming.

As RTS rightly points out, robotics can help manufacturers achieve the required innovation. Automation provides the flexibility required to switch a line from making high fat foods to more saleable items very quickly. And when another factor, such as seasonal demand for instance, results in the public and thus the supermarket buyers craving less healthy products once more, robotics offers the flexibility to change back almost overnight. When more food manufacturers start to take their own advice and automate, they may well find that the long term contracts they are looking for become a little easier to get signed.

Best regards,

Nigel Smith
Managing director
TM Robotics (Europe) Ltd
Unit 15
The Weltech Centre
Ridgeway
Welwyn Garden City
Herts
AL7 2AA
Tel: ++44 (0) 1707 871535

All eyes on Toshiba Machines’ conveyor tracking vision system at Automatica

TM Robotics, the firm responsible for the sales, marketing and support of Toshiba Machine's industrial robots throughout Europe, is launching an innovative conveyor and vision tracking system at Automatica this year. The system, based on two of the company’s TH450 SCARA Robots connected to a standard industrial vision system, demonstrates not only the function of tracking items as they move along a conveyor, but also the robot’s ability to determine the parts orientation and discriminate between different products.

With the new conveyor tracking system it is possible to construct an inexpensive and high speed line using existing industrial vision sensors, linked via industry-standard Ethernet. The robots’ movements can be interpolated to the conveyors direction and speed; therefore products can be picked without ever needing to stop the conveyor.

The vision sensor which provides the part coordinate data, can be positioned anywhere on the conveyor, upstream of the robots. Parts are then picked as they enter the robots’ working area. The system automatically identifies each work piece and can also perform part sharing or discriminative handling of the items between several robots on the same conveyor. The system has also been designed for multiple conveyors – for example, the conveyor tracking synchronisation can be executed on one conveyor for picking a part and then synchronized to a second conveyor for placing the part.

Examples of the extensive Toshiba Machine TH SCARA range and other (Cartesian) robots are also on show at the stand. The TH series offers arm length from 250mm to 1050mm and can carry payloads from 3 to 20kg, with a positional accuracy of between 0.01mm and 0.03mm. These are extremely quick, accurate and cost effective, yet have extensive functionality. They are ideally suited to the handling and assembly of components and can position these with extremely high levels of precision.

The Automatica stand also demonstrates the integration abilities of TM Robotics Swiss partner company Lanco AG. This internationally acclaimed company provides flexible turnkey assembly machines and systems.

Words: 353

For further information contact:
Nigel Smith - TM Robotics (Europe) Ltd
Unit 15, The Weltech Centre, Ridgeway,
Welwyn Garden City, Herts. AL7 2AA
Telephone: +44 (0)1707 871535
Fax: +44 (0)1707 393959
www: www.tmrobotics.co.uk
e-mail: sales@tmrobotics.co.uk

Press enquiries: Richard Stone
Stone Junction, 24A Waldram Park Road,
Forest Hill, London, SE23 2PN
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
www: www.stonejunction.co.uk
e-mail: richards@stonejunction.co.uk

Ref: TRE005/0506