RIGHTHAND ROBOTICS FINDS THE “HOLY GRAIL” OF FLEXIBLE GRIPPING
RightHand Robotics, primarily based in Somerville, Massachusetts, has created an entire resolution that features a Common Robots (UR) robotic arm, computer-vision, and machine-learning programs, in addition to an modern gripper that may choose up a variety of objects in an unstructured setting corresponding to a bin or tote. Co-founder Leif Jentoft refers to this versatile greedy as “the holy grail” in robotics analysis: piece-picking that delivers “The Three ‘R’s” – vary of things, fee of choosing, and reliability of the shopper getting what they ordered.”
RightHand Robotics workforce member Nadia Cheng explains that robots have historically been utilized in manufacturing to carry out the identical process hundreds of thousands of occasions. Within the provide chain business, nevertheless, with hundreds of thousands of various objects within the warehouse, the robotic may be doing every process simply as soon as, however for one million various things. “It’s not cheap for a warehouse to have 3D fashions of all of the objects within the warehouse. The actual problem is to allow robots to select issues that it’s by no means seen earlier than, simply as an individual can.”
The RightHand Robotics system can run on any robotic arm, however Cheng says that many purchasers want UR robotic arms as a result of they’re collaborative and protected to work side-by-side with people in warehouse environments. “To have collaborative arms which can be as simple to work with because the UR arms give us a really accessible resolution,” Cheng says. She provides, “I used to be blown away by how simple it was to make use of, and the way elegant the entire course of was.”
ACCUTECH PACKAGING INCREASES FULFILLMENT PRODUCTIVITY BY 8-10X
The RightHand Robotics know-how has additionally been included into a number of different logistics programs, such because the Autofulfillment™ SPrint™ System from Accutech Packaging in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The system automates the outbound bagging, labeling, sorting, and transport of merchandise corresponding to well being and wonder aids, electronics, and workplace merchandise.
Mike Keneally, vice chairman of Accutech Packaging, explains some great benefits of automating these processes for e-commerce retailers or pharmacies. “They’re manually opening baggage, loading product into it, printing a packing slip, placing it within the bag, after which making use of a transport label. All of that could be very time-consuming. On common, a packer can function at 65 to 85 packages an hour. With our know-how, we’re capable of improve the productiveness of a person packer to one thing like 600 packages an hour.” That’s an 8X to almost 10X enchancment in productiveness, which is vital to satisfy client calls for for quick product achievement. The RightHand Robotics system combines a fingered gripper with a suction cup together with a UR robotic arm to offer a system that’s dependable and quick to satisfy the 600 packages-per-hour objectives.
Accutech’s Keneally says that the market demand for this technique is phenomenal. “The whole lot is transferring on-line, and they also’re in search of higher methods of packaging their objects, significantly when it’s so tough to search out many individuals to work for them,” Keneally states. “Including that robotic know-how is important to allow our prospects to essentially fulfill their prospects’ necessities.”
