Universal Robots in showcase project with Singapore partner

• Applications to increase the accessibility of SMEs to robotic technology
• Also building info-sharing platform for its distributors and customers

 
UNIVERSAL Robots (UR) said it is embarking on a project involving its Singapore-based distributor Skymech Automation & Engineering to develop industrial robot applications that will showcase the ways in which small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can benefit from automation.
 
With the support of two Singapore government agencies, UR is actively spearheading the expansion of the current range of robot applications with Skymech, it said in a statement.
 
The first two applications that are being developed are ‘vision pick and place’ as well as ‘machine tending,’ which are commonly used in the precision engineering (PE) sector, said UR, the global developer and manufacturer of industrial robots.
 
The development of these applications increases the accessibility of SMEs to robotic technology and closes the gap between system integrators and UR’s customers, it claimed.
 
The Singapore Government recognises the importance of driving the growth of its local robotic industry to keep up with the industrial automation trend that is gaining traction worldwide, UR said.
 
Being an export-dependent country, Singapore is constantly looking ahead for ways to keep its production and goods competitive.
 
To encourage local SMEs and startups to adopt automated solutions, various government agencies are supporting SME system integrators by opening up funding channels and offering them incentives to design new industrial robotics applications that are affordable, scalable and usable across industries.
 
“Government support is very important in driving the uptake of technology such as industrial robots among companies across many sectors,” said UR Asia Pacific general manager Shermine Gotfredsen.
 
With the demand for automation in Malaysia projected to rise in the next few years, the growth of robotic solutions in the country has become increasingly important, UR said.
 
Currently, Malaysia’s existing manufacturing infrastructure is relatively advanced, enabling easier integration of automation solutions relative to its neighbouring countries.
 
The electronics and healthcare industries, for example, have already been identified as two of the 12 National Key Economic Areas with high uptake potential of automation solutions.
 
To meet the needs of a wide range of industries, the development of more robotic applications is imperative, UR added.
 
The company said it is also building a platform to encourage the facilitation of information such as technical knowledge among its distributors and customers with the opening of its Singapore-based UR Application Showroom, two years starting from January 2016.
 
Interested parties will be able to view the robot applications at the showroom, where five applications are set to roll out after each cycle of 12 months, it added.
 
This project will also see the launch of a series of technical workshops and seminars that will be publicly open to those interested in learning more about new technologies and how to apply them into their everyday work environment.
 
Parties interested in viewing the UR Application Showroom or attending the seminars or workshops are invited to contact their local distributor for further details. For the list of distributors and their contact information, go here.
 
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