Mitsubishi

Industrial or collaborative? This is the question everyone is asking. We all want to get the most out of our production, however the demarcation line between the two options is not as clear as you might think. It all depends on the setting in which the machine operates, how operators need to interact with the robot and its main functions. Barry Weller, Solutions Marketing Manager - OEM at Mitsubishi Electric, looks at how to identify what type of robot best suits your application and how to integrate it.

Bakkavor, provider of fresh prepared food in the UK, is enjoying the benefits of having successfully improved pizza dough base quality and consistency while at the same time reducing production costs through less maintenance and downtime at its pizza factory in Holbeach St. Marks.

Boosting responsiveness, productivity and flexibility on the factory floor is the key to enhanced competitiveness. Efficient data management using the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is therefore increasingly important in extending communication beyond the production cell and ensuring the successful deployment of new and updated automation systems.

Mitsubishi Electric has helped JK Machinery Ltd upgrade the design of an automated printing machine to deliver an enhanced, futureproof and cost-effective solution to its customers. The new unit, which is now the company’s flagship, offers next-level performance enabled by Mitsubishi Electric’s advanced automation products. These include the latest FR-A800-R2R Variable Speed Drive (VSD) with dedicated winding functions, MELSERVO-J4 servos, a MELSEC iQ-F series PLC with simple motion module and a GOT2000 series HMI.

The new G5-5 recommendations on harmonic disturbance are a significant change to the previous G5-4. System integrators and end users must take note to ensure compliance and variable speed drive manufacturers will also need to assist by making their product data available. Wayne Turtill, Product Manager for Variable Speed Drives, Servos and Low Voltage Switchgear at Mitsubishi Electric UK, explains the impact of G5-5.

Mitsubishi Electric has renewed their partnership with Special Olympics GB for a further two years with immediate effect with both organisations committed to building upon the existing mutually beneficial relationship to help transform the lives of people with intellectual disabilities through sport.

As automated systems are becoming more extensive, they require corresponding safety controllers to maintain operations. Mitsubishi Electric’s latest iQ-F safety extension modules bring reliability to the next level. These compact, fully integrated units streamline installation and configuration while improving data visualisation and integrity.

Here, Chris Evans - Marketing and Operations Group Manager at Mitsubishi Electric UK looks at the effect the pandemic could have on the future adoption of automation in manufacturing within SMEs.  

Mitsubishi Electric has announced a new collaboration with Radiflow, a provider of OT cyber security solutions for industrial automation networks. The collaboration will help businesses leverage industrial automation solutions within a secure framework. Customers also benefit from a single point of contact to create smart manufacturing solutions with secure Operational Technology (OT) networks.

Mitsubishi Engineering-Plastics Corporation (MEP), meets the rapidly-changing stringent regulatory and functional requirements of the automotive, electronics and general industries markets for low formaldehyde emissions with a new polyacetal (POM) product family. MEP has announced the innovative low-odor and low-residue Iupital 05 Polyacetal Series.

Mitsubishi Electric has supported Horizon Instruments in the development of a highly automated well plate filling machine. The solution has boosted operations for a leading provider of immunoassays and in vitro diagnostic (IVD) devices, increasing production yield by 700 to 800% and is projected to cut waste by half.

Mitsubishi Electric is expanding its MELFA CR series for cost entry-level robots users by adding a new slim, long reach 8kg load capacity articulated arm model. The RV-8CRL is suitable for anyone interested in economical machines for low-to-medium complexity applications, allowing them to effectively choose between SCARA and six-axis solutions at a similar price point.

When iFLY, operator of indoor skydiving tunnels worldwide, needed new drives to continue delivering its unique experience at the company’s facility in Milton Keynes, it chose a powerful and highly reliable solution from Mitsubishi Electric. The upgrade, implemented in record-time, avoided unplanned down-time and offered improved system control for maximum customer enjoyment.

Factory automation has traditionally provided the food industry with faster, more reliable and cleaner production capacity - however, with the advent of the smart factory and commercial AI the factory of the very near future is starting to make production efficiency improvement decisions itself.

One of the key challenges for today’s businesses engaged in the process of digitalisation is connecting shop floor operational technology (OT) with IT infrastructure. New business models that improve how we design, build, sell and operate industrial services and machines are being created by improved connectivity between OT and IT. 

The current trend of robot control is changing with PLC-based solutions offering different benefits and opportunities over the traditional dedicated robot controllers. So what needs to be considered when selecting the right solution for the application? Here Barry Weller, Product Manager at Mitsubishi Electric, looks at how to determine which robot control option is best.

Companies with a requirement to combine factory floor operational technology (OT) and IT systems now have a new option from Mitsubishi Electric. The MELIPC edge computing solution offers optimisations such as predictive maintenance or quality control with real-time data analysis and early feedback to the operator. 

The strengthening cooperation between Mitsubishi Electric Europe and Schaeffler has been highlighted by the development of a new web-based condition monitoring solution. Customers will require no new IT equipment as the software application runs within a web browser on existing PC hardware, tablets and smartphones.

In May of 2019, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announced its 100% acquisition of ICONICS. It is a US-headquartered global automation software provider of advanced web-enabled OPC UA and BACnet certified visualisation, analytics, mobile, and IoT software solutions for any energy, manufacturing, industrial or building automation applications.

Mitsubishi Electric is completing its range for robotics beginners and cost-conscious users with the MELFA RV-8CRL articulated arm model, which will be shown for the first time in Europe at SPS 2019. This robot is an addition to the RH-CH Series SCARA robots, which also cater for low-to-medium complexity applications.