Taking the Headaches Out of Using Robots

Taking the Headaches Out of Using Robots

Mitsubishi Electric has long been recognized as a pioneer in new automation technologies that improve manufacturing performance for its customers, both through its own product development efforts and through its support for innovative partner companies in its e-F@ctory Alliance.

Southie Autonomy, a recent addition to the e-F@ctory Alliance, is working with Mitsubishi Electric to drive the adoption of robots with software that makes it easier to tell a robot what to do.

While robots have long been used in high-value industries like automotive or electronics, today's improvements in robot communication, configuration and coordination, along with continuing reductions in the overall cost of robotics, mean that more cost-constrained applications such as sorting and packaging can now take advantage of the technology.

Southie Autonomy provides smart robot control software for the packaging industry, allowing robots to perform packing assembly, kitting and palletization tasks without coding or programming. Its software layer, which sits on top of existing robot hardware and software, incorporates artificial intelligence and enables workers to use a touchscreen tablet to tell a robot what to do. The software then figures out what actual movements the robot needs to take to accomplish the task.

It typically takes less than 10 minutes to get a robot to start or switch a task using the software. This rapid changeover enables the same robot to be used to handle many different products with different shapes.

The Southie solution includes its proprietary software and off-the-shelf hardware, including a robot, end effector, 3D camera and projector. It can be customized, including many options for end effectors to pick up many different types of objects.

Watch the Southie solution in action and learn how Mitsubishi Electric and Southie Autonomy are solving key challenges faced by today’s packing industry.

If you're looking for new solutions for your manufacturing challenges, see what the innovative partners in Mitsubishi Electric's e-F@ctory Alliance have to offer.

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