Where can intelligent AGV technology take your business?

August 18, 2010

Understanding how all manufacturers can benefit from mobile technology

Automation users in the R&D and hospital environment are the first adopters of intelligent AGVs (iAGV) and mobile platform technology. The challenges that lead them to this technology are not all that different from the challenges the traditional manufacturing community faces. Here are just a few ways that traditional industrial automation users benefit from iAGV technology:

Line Replenishment
This is almost a universal challenge faced by our clients. Compared to labor using hand carts or fork trucks, iAGVs ensure that components/goods are both available and removed in a timely manner with minimal variability. iAGVs maximize production equipment operation, and are more reliable than human intervention.

Flexibility in Routing, Scheduling and Exception Handling
Being able to re-route in the case the pre-programmed path has an obstruction, like a pallet, fork truck or person is essential for efficient interplant logistics. Traditional AGVs are incapable of this on-the-fly decision-making, and therefore negate the benefits of automatically transporting goods.

Lower Deployment Costs
Because iAGVs powered by Motivity do not require the extensive plant modifications traditional AGVs require, like floor mounted guides and elevated beacons, they can be installed in a shorter time-frame with reduced costs and interruption to production. Plant modifications and augmentations to processes required to use AGVs frequently prove cost prohibitive.

Find out now  if you are a good candidate for Motivity iAGV technology!

July 2, 2010

John Dulchinos, president and chief executive officer of Adept Technology, shares his thoughts on Adept Technology's move toward mobile robotics and the new opportunities that the autonomous and assistive technology brings.

June 14, 2010

ADEPT TECHNOLOGY ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF LEADING AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOT PROVIDER

We are proud to inform our partners and clients that Adept Technology, Inc. has entered into an agreement to acquire privately held MobileRobots Inc., a provider of industry leading autonomous robot and automated guided vehicle (AGV) technologies. Based in New Hampshire, MobileRobots uniquely positions Adept to deliver productivity gains in unstructured environments, many of which reside beyond traditional robot applications. Equipping Adept's global sales channels with autonomous robots and associated technologies will enable the company to address the needs of the production logistics markets.

"With this acquisition, Adept strengthens its ability to develop and deliver highly flexible automation solutions aligned with the needs and demands of our target markets," said John Dulchinos, President and CEO of Adept Technology, Inc. "We are clearly focused on removing the challenges and costs associated with manual and less sophisticated means of moving critical components through production environments in a flexible manner and MobileRobots extends this value proposition beyond our industry’s traditional application areas."

From individual robots in hospitals to fleets of AGVs in factories, automation solution providers and end-users have increasingly depended on million-mile proven solutions from MobileRobots. The ability for the company's autonomous platforms to navigate in unstructured environments and provide comprehensive solutions and unmatched flexibility in delivering supplies, components and parts in complex and peopled environments has been paramount to the adoption of MobileRobots across numerous industries.

"Joining Adept and leveraging their resources and international sales infrastructure will enable the MobileRobots team to capitalize on the over fifteen years of investment into developing technologies and solutions for markets with clearly defined needs," said Jeanne Dietsch, CEO and Co-founder of MobileRobots Inc. "In carefully analyzing the combining of the companies it became clear that our roadmap, positioning, organizationand culture are complementary and the acquisition will therefore enable us to more rapidly and fully service our customers."

The acquisition of MobileRobots expands Adept's automation presence in markets including industrial, commercial, medical, research and academia and will contribute to continued innovation in the automation of logistical processes. The MobileRobots team brings unmatched expertise in autonomous platform design and advanced fleet management along with applications experience and an established industry network. Upon completion of the acquisition, MobileRobots employees will become part of the Adept MobileRobots group and will work with Adept's existing engineering, operations and service teams in Pleasanton, CA, Dortmund,Germany and Singapore.

Further information can be found on Adept Technology and MobileRobots at the following two websites: