Robotic Industries Association (RIA)
Articles
Non-automotive robotic orders surpass automotive orders in 2020
Robotic orders for 2020 were 3.5% higher than 2019 with non-automotive robotic orders surpassing automotive orders for the first time ever, according to the Robotic Industries Association.
Mobile safety standard for robots published
The Robotic Industries Association (RIA) published a national safety standard that provides technical requirements for the design of industrial mobile robots to support worker safety.
COVID-19 survey results show impact on automation industry
How the global coronavirus pandemic has effected manufacturing, onshoring, new developments, and more
The role of collaborative robots in Industry 5.0
Industry 5.0 will emphasize collaborative robotics as well as human input while encouraging many of the positive aspects that Industry 4.0 brought to the plant floor.
Improvements in robot-assisted surgery driven by haptic feedback systems
Robot-assisted surgery has various benefits such as less pain and a faster recovery time for the patient, higher degree of precision for the surgeon, and more. However, one challenge the industry is facing is lack of quality haptic feedback.
The rise of robots-as-a-service in manufacturing operations
Robots-as-a-Service uses a cloud-based system which allows for easier requirement changes.
How robots are helping medical professionals combat COVID-19
Robots can help medical professionals dealing with COVID-19 and potentially reduce their exposure to the pandemic.
University details process for using robotics, AI to produce polymers for advanced materials
Engineers have developed an automated process for creating polymers that make it easier to produce advanced materials used to treat humans thanks to robotics and AI.
Looking closer at the impact of robots on labor and employment
Robots are creating jobs outside of the ones replaced by automation, but the picture remains murky on the overall impact robots have had.
Collaborative robots create jobs for manufacturers
Collaborative robots won't necessarily take away humans jobs; they will assist in worker productivity, company growth and much more.
Construction businesses value AI and robotics
Artificial intelligence and robots have the ability to help workers in the construction field improve productivity, enhance safety, and much more.
Hospitality industry looking to AI for improved service, security and more
The hospitality industry is adopting artificial intelligence to enhance guests experience, safety, security, and service while staying at hotels.
Better safety practices for collaborative robot operations
Manufacturers have developed solutions to keep human workers safe from the potential risks collaborative robots bring on the plant floor.
Three ways to start a career in the robotics industry
When choosing to start a career in robotics and engineering, it's important to know the various fields and specialties within the industry.
Three misconceptions about service robots
There are concerns about service robots, but a majority of them regarding design, automation and safety are inaccurate.
Robotics’ growing impact on the healthcare industry
Robotics, although still under the control of humans, are becoming a more frequent option in health care for assistance in surgeries and other medical treatments.
Collaborative robots cutting operation and manufacturing costs for healthcare companies
Collaborative robots, artificial intelligence and Industry 4.0's potential can help cut operation and manufacturing costs for healthcare companies.
Collaborative robots help manufacturers address worker gaps, improve efficiency
Collaborative robots work with humans to do the most boring of tasks and let human workers focus on meaningful jobs, improving job satisfaction.
Collaborative robot market growing along with their popularity
The rise of collaborative robots is expected to continue as manufacturers and people become more comfortable with their presence in everyday situations and the market reflects that.
Collaborative robot benefits for local manufacturers
Collaborative robots help local manufacturers meet the customer's demand for immediate products and can help control long-term costs.
North American robot orders up in 2019
Robot sales increased compared to 2018 thanks to increases in orders from automotive OEMs and the plastics and rubber industry.
Four robotic process automation challenges to consider
Companies are already using robotic process automation (RPA) to improve operations, but they also need to consider costs and the need for constant maintenance when implementing the program.
Robotics group elects 2020 Board of Directors
The Robotic Industries Association (RIA) is pleased to announce the results of the recent Board of Directors election with Matt Wicks, Chief Robotics Solution Architect, Honeywell Intelligrated, being named Chairperson.
Make collaborative robots safer for human interaction
Worker safety is always top priority, especially when it comes to robots and collaborative robots may be the key.
Service robot market growing in automotive, non-automotive applications
Service robots, whether its in professional or personal use, are growing by leaps and bounds and that doesn't appear to be slowing anytime soon as robots become more sophisticated.
Popular applications for collaborative robots
Collaborative robots are growing in many industries and are being increasingly used in applications including, pick and place, packaging and quality inspection.
Exoskeletons boost productivity and safety for manufacturers
Exoskeletons can make workers safer on the manufacturing floor, and they will become more common as mobility and cost concerns become less of an issue.
AI robotic pills can help cows improve milk production
A tiny AI robotic pill may soon help farmers improve their cows’ milk production if they are feeling anxiety or stress. The technology behind this pill might be used to improve human surgeries in the future.
Robotic offline programming increases manufacturing production
Robotic offline programming (OLP) reduces initial setup time, programming time, and changeover and alteration time for manufacturers.
Collaborative robots designed for space navigation
NASA believes collaborative robots are better suited for a mission to Titan, which is Saturn's largest moon, as they try to learn more about its surface and atmosphere.
Robotic sales show overall growth
Robotic sales are up over 5% compared to 2018 results according to the Robotic Industries Association (RIA).
Four types of collaborative robot operation
The ISO 10218-1 safety standard classifies the four types of collaborative robot operation: Safety monitored stop, hand guiding, speed and separation monitoring, and power and force limiting.
Robotic laser marking benefits for the automotive industry
Laser marking involves a technique where a laser etches, stains, or otherwise engraves a material and is extremely useful for the automotive industry, which demands precision marking.
Robots are suited for the dull, dirty and dangerous jobs
Robots are well-suited for handling the dull, dirty and dangerous jobs humans shouldn't be doing. They can improve efficiency and reduce downtime and lower risk for humans.
Robots’ impact on manufacturing jobs
New robots will be able to create savings in manufacturing and plug short-term gaps while also help creating future jobs.
Collaborative robots bringing automation to aviation industry
Collaborative robots are improving aircraft construction, testing and maintenance as the aviation industry adopts Industry 4.0 and automates aircraft operation.
Benefits of adding exoskeletons to supply chains
Workers and companies receive increased safety and productivity by using exoskeletons for supply chain operations.
Tiny robot developed to sense environmental changes, repair human injuries
Researchers have created a 3-D printed robot called the micro-bristle bot designed to sense environmental changes, move materials, and, maybe one day, help to repair injuries within the human body.
Robot cybersecurity threats: What to watch for
In order for a robot to be safe, it should be protected against cyberattacks and possible security breaches and there are several ways this can happen.
Four ways industrial automation will evolve
Industrial automation has continued evolving as machines become more connected and smarter while reducing maintenance costs for companies.
Combining vision technology and collaborative robots for safer work environments
Safety is paramount with collaborative robots and they can be made safer with machine vision and artificial intelligence technology.
Teaching industrial robots with AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) is an efficient method of teaching an industrial robot new skills.
Probabilistic roadmaps and how they impact collaborative robot safety
Probabilistic roadmaps (PRMs) help to create collision-free paths for collaborative robots and refers to the set of random points in the configuration space within which the planner knows the collaborative robot can safely move.
Collaborative robots’ growing role in aerospace
Collaborative robots are playing a key role in aerospace engineering as manufacturers look to meet increased demand.
Construction robotics trends for generating industry growth
Collaborative and industrial robots are becoming more common on construction sites and are helping human workers with some of the dull and dangerous tasks.
Factors driving robotic growth in non-automotive industries
Global growth for the robotics industry plus lower overall startup costs and technology upgrades is driving growth in non-automotive industries.
Using robots in agriculture will create jobs
The agricultural industry is looking to technology to solve its challenges such as a labor and food shortage and robots are an important part of that strategy.
Collaborative robots performing surgery
To assist surgeons in the operating room (OR), the medical field is using the advancements of AI and collaborative robots for risky and repetitive tasks.
Collaborative robots in the supply chain
Collaborative robots are being used in applications throughout the supply chain, from materials handling to assembly to order fulfillment and can even be used for processing returns and performing quality control checks.
Four reasons why robotic automation is the future in manufacturing
Robotic automation is the future for manufacturers of all sizes and can help them save money and time and even create new jobs that weren't previously available.
Three industries benefiting from service robot applications
Service robots are growing thanks to improved technology and lower operational expenses. The medical, agricultural and defense industries are benefiting from their potential in a variety of ways.
Five way service robots can help the agricultural industry
Service robots are becoming common in agriculture to fulfill an ever-expanding number of needs to overcome the labor shortage as well as the rising world population.
Robot technology advances are improving automotive manufacturing
Technology developments such as collaborative robots and wearable robots are making automotive manufacturing more efficient and safer for the workforce.
Robot sales decline from record 2018 numbers
Robot sales declined in the first quarter of 2019 from 2018 due to a decrease in orders from automotive component suppliers and several other industries.
Four robot gripper technology advances
Robots are working in specialized fields and dangerous applications and many of them are able to work safely and effectively thanks to gripper technology advances.
Three manufacturing applications that benefit from collaborative robots
Collaborative robots can offer a lot of potential to manufacturing applications such as repetitive tasks, collaborative environments, and variable production runs.
Benefits of logistics robots in manufacturing
Logistics robots stand are the fastest-growing and most widely adopted form of service robot and provide many potential benefits for manufacturing.
Overcoming Industrie 4.0 challenges to improve connected manufacturing
There are a number of roadblocks preventing manufacturers from achieving true Industrie 4.0 processes, and at the same time, there are a number of emerging solutions bringing production further into the future.
Robots’ role growing in construction and demolition applications
Recent innovations in professional service robots, however, are changing the way construction is completed around the world and is opening a manual-intensive industry to the potential benefits of automation.
Standards committee finalizes test methods and metrics for collaborative robots
The RIA R15.06 Standards Committee has finalized Technical Report (TR) R15.806-2018 to address the test methods and metrics for measuring pressure and force associated with quasi-static and transient contact events of collaborative applications.
Benefits of collaborative robots and AI in the food & beverage industry
Collaborative robots and artificial intelligence (AI) are being fused together to provide an even greater return on investment (ROI) for companies in the food & beverage industry.
Improving cybersecurity in robotic automation
Cybersecurity in the robotics field is still immature, but manufacturers are starting to realize the vulnerability that connected robots and automation equipment creates in their operations.
Industrial and collaborative robots’ use in electronic manufacturing
As robotics have become more advanced, electronic manufacturers are realizing their potential and are using them for delicate applications.
Annual robotics award winners announced
The Robotic Industries Association (RIA)'s annual Engelberger Robotics Awards were given to Catherine Morris and Dr. Howie Choset.
Collaborative robots provide benefits for pharmaceutical applications
Collaborative robots offer pharmaceutical applications greater reliability, consistency, and precision and can improve safety.
Three collaborative robot innovations
Collaborative robots have come a long way in the last several years and recent innovations such as embedded vision and machine learning have allowed them to do more.
Professional service robot benefits for manufacturers
Professional service robots feature some degree of autonomy and mobility for unstructured environments and offer many potential benefits for end users.
Benefits of collaborative robots for CNC machine tending applications
Collaborative robots are useful for CNC machine tending applications because they can be deployed quickly and can improve productivity on the plant floor.
Benefits of using robots in agriculture
The agricultural industry is turning to robots to meet the soaring demand for consumers and replace traditionally manual jobs to improve production.
Collaborative robot benefits for end users
Collaborative robots, which are designed to work alongside humans, are designed to be easy to use and program and offer end users flexibility on the plant floor.
Five questions to ask before investing in robotic automation
Robotic automation can provide efficiency and productivity benefits, but companies need to effectively plan for automation to maximize the potential they can bring.
Four extreme applications robots are used for
Industrial robots can operate in extreme conditions humans cannot and are being increasingly used for extreme heat and cold environments as well as hazardous ones.
Industrial mobile robot standards being developed
Industrial mobile robots (IMRs) have a lot of potential for manufacturers looking to enhance productivity, but standards are needed.
Collaborative robots’ future in manufacturing
Technology developments and high demand for collaborative robots point to a promising future for the technology as manufacturers find new uses for them.
Five common automotive robot applications
Automotive robots bring many benefits to automotive manufacturers and increase companies' competitiveness on a global scale.
Robotics sales achieve record-high in 2018
The Robotic Industries Association (RIA) reported a new record for annual sales in 2018 with non-automotive sales continuing to surge and break new records.
Robotics 101: An overview for beginners
Robots have advanced dramatically over the past few decades and are able to automate a wide range of tasks in an even wider range of industries inside and outside of the factory setting.
Four types of collaborative robots for manufacturing applications
Safety monitored stop, speed and separation, power and force limiting, and hand guiding are the four major types of collaborative robots and each has a specific benefit for manufacturers.
Robotics as a service gaining traction in manufacturing
Robotics as a Service (RaaS), which allows manufacturers to leverage the benefits of industrial and collaborative robots in their facility without having to buy them, is becoming popular.
Vision-guided robot technology benefits
Vision-guided robot (VGR) applications are useful for manufacturing applications and are quickly becoming commonplace as technology costs continue to drop.
Robotics groups agree to strategic partnership
The Robotic Industries Association (RIA) announced a strategic partnership with Pittsburgh Robotics Network (PRN) to elevate the awareness of the robotics industry in the Pittsburgh area.
Collaborative and mobile robots will enhance productivity
Collaborative robots and mobile robots can enhance automation and productivity on the plant floor when their attributes are combined.
Vacuum gripper benefits for collaborative robots
Vacuum grippers can be beneficial for collaborative robots, but the type of application and the potential costs associated with them need to be considered.
Technology advances for the industrial robots of tomorrow
The robots of the future will benefit from technology advances such as increased human-robot interaction, increased mobility, and multi-robot coordination.
Three industrial robot end of arm tooling trends
Industrial robot end of arm tooling (EOAT) trends include safer grippers and greater connectivity as companies face greater productivity and demand from their customers.
Four challenges for aerospace robots
The aerospace industry is a tough, exacting industry. Robot users and integrators face challenges such as increased human-robot collaboration and the constant demand for precision and efficiency.
Four potential futuristic attributes of collaborative robots
Collaborative robots will continue to evolve and future research may allow them to become more interactive and adaptable to human behavior.