Category: robotics

Robots are good for productivity, and if you’ve come to the conclusion that you can achieve a good return on investment through a robot purchase, you may find yourself wondering where to start with robot selection. We wrote a quick list of things to consider in our post How to specify a dispensing robot. Having […]

Robots: the opportunities… or the risks? The application of adhesives, potting compounds, encapsulants or other liquids, fluids or pastes, is something that can often be readily automated with a dispensing robot. Manufacturers that are still performing these processes manually may be concerned about the potential risks of transforming their processes with automation. On the other […]

The benefits of robotics are compelling to many manufacturers: improved productivity, efficiency, output, quality, and flexibility. They can also improve health and safety for employees and job satisfaction. The International Federation of Robotics World Robot Report in 2021 found that the UK has a robot density of 101 robots per 10,000 employees, far below the […]

The benefits of robotics are compelling; improved productivity, efficiency, output, quality, and flexibility. In addition to their production benefits, they can also improve health and safety and job satisfaction for employees. However, the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) World Robot Report in 2021 found that the UK has a robot density of 101 robots per […]

“I am the Managing Director of an electronics CEM. We are making 1,000 potted electronics assemblies per week, regularly 200 per day. This is done manually by experienced operators. Pat is my best operator, she’s been with me the longest time. Some weeks, about 2.5% of these are rejected after potting. Each one costs £50, […]

To improve the accuracy, repeatability, and manufacturing speed of their key product line Kemio™, a water testing system utilising patented single-use sensor technology, Palintest came to us. Using electrochemical sensors, the product tests the concentration of chlorine, chlorine dioxide, chlorite or peracetic acid in samples, giving a clear pass or fail mark in 60 seconds. Initially […]

Providing you with an easy and affordable way to automate plasma surface treatment, the Relyon Plasma PiezoBrush PZ3-i allows simple integration into semi-automated or automated production lines whilst giving you full control over all process variables ─ positioning, power, time, and input gas pressure ─ for a repeatable, controllable, and recordable process. The PiezoBrush PZ3-i is […]

For automated or semi-automated applications involving preeflow’s range of precision volumetric dosing valves, which require the use of several different pre-programmed flow rates or shot sizes (or both), the preeflow eco-REMOTE can be used.   The eco-REMOTE is an interface between the preeflow eco-CONTROL control system and an external controller (e.g. a PLC). It allows the activation of […]

Providing light where there was once darkness, lighting assemblies have been a staple in modern vehicle manufacture for decades. For many manufacturers, the search for brighter, better-performing systems has led them away from traditional bulbs and lamps towards more complex arrays of LED emitters, with lifespans in the 1000’s of hours. Keeping these assemblies protected […]

When gas sensor manufacturer DD-Scientific wanted to improve the accuracy, repeatability, and productivity of an epoxy sealing process, they asked us. DD-Scientific now benefits from robot-mounted preeflow® eco-DUO precision metering, mixing and dispensing systems, which save the company 23 days of staff time per year, while maintaining the high-quality the company’s products demand. DD-Scientific’s sensors […]

I was struck by an article today on the Industrial Technology website: European Manufacturing Breakthroughs Stifled by Overengineered Industrial Robots. The article quotes Torsten Christensen, partner and co-founder at ChangeForce, a Danish industrial consultancy firm. According to him, the most popular reason behind disappointing robotisation implementations is the complexity and over customisation of technologies installed.  […]

Adopting robotics for dispensing automation into your production process can contribute considerably to an increase in operational efficiency and productivity. As robotics technology advances, consistency and overall process control becomes ever more attainable and affordable. You may be surprised at how quickly return on investment can be achieved with dispensing robots, particularly when time savings, […]

We recently launched our archytas series of robot integrations, which are robotic dispensing, UV curing and/or surface preparation systems custom-built to meet your application requirements. Understanding the idea behind the systems is simple enough, but what’s the idea behind the name? Archytas (ARK-it-ahs) was an Ancient Greek philosopher, mathematician, astronomer, statesman, and strategist. He is […]

In an automatic dispensing application, the tooling for both the target workpiece and the dispensing needle are critical to positional accuracy. Even with the best set up, the dispensing needle or nozzle can move relative to the original position from which the programming was generated. This can readily occur if dispensing direct from a syringe […]

We have a wide experience of integrating dispensing, curing and surface preparation equipment with our robots. Combining one or more of these processes onto one platform can deliver production efficiency and productivity – often at realistic cost which can payback very quickly. This two minute video explains the benefits we have delivered to customers over […]

The modular connectivity design of the new F4000 ADVANCE series of benchtop dispensing robots from Fisnar gives manufacturers more control in specifying an automated fluid dispensing system that will meet their own particular requirements. The ADVANCE series comprises the most extensive range of 3-axis, 4-axis and 5-axis robots in the industry and allows a simple […]

A rotary dispensing table is a simple robot which holds a round or cylindrical object, rotating it while a material is applied to it via a dispensing syringe, pump or valve. Whilst it is a simple tool, it will provide consistent results, reducing manual labour, rejects, and wasted material. When dispensing onto round objects or […]

From the iPad version of today’s The Times: More than half the world’s workplace tasks will be carried out by a machine within the next seven years but the relentless rise of the robots will create more jobs than it will destroy, research has found. A study by the World Economic Forum suggests that 52 […]

The application of adhesives, potting compounds or encapsulants, sealants, FIP gaskets, temporary masking or lubricants (or other liquids, fluids or pastes – in summary, “a material”) is something which is readily automated with a dispensing robot. If you are doing this manually now, then you could be missing out on productivity benefits, including consistency, speed […]

Shot Scope Technologies, based in Edinburgh, designs and manufactures innovative wearable technology which helps both professional and amateur golfers to improve their game. A keen golfer with a background in electronics design, CEO David Hunter set up the company in 2014 to develop the golf wearable, which collects and analyses over 100 key statistics from […]

The latest dispensing product from us is the Fisnar F4500N Benchtop Dispensing Robot which shares all the technical advantages of the F4000 range in an expanded format of 500x500mm, still in a convenient benchtop design. The Fisnar F4500N is a full function robot that enables cost effective automation of liquid dispensing operations, allowing increased productivity […]

One of the great benefits of our Fisnar dispensing robots is that they can be simply user-programmed via the standard teach pendant, supplied in the box. Fisnar robot programming is simple, with easy to understand English language instructions. Commands are followed and responses entered by the teach pendant. An LCD display prompts the user for a […]

Gantry robots provide the reliability of precisely positioned dispensing for conveyor operations requiring a Cartesian gantry robot, or for bench applications that require XYZ movement above the work. These robots can increase your production output and product quality with consistent results on every piece. With simple, fully-supported implementation from our Technical Team here at Intertronics you will […]

Based in Boston, Lincolnshire, Parkinson Harness Technology is a manufacturer of bespoke electrical products to industries such as construction, agriculture, rail and defence. It produces a variety of products including wiring harnesses, control panels, battery/power leads, PCBs and control systems mainly for use in specialist vehicle manufacture. Parkinson Harness Technology also offers engineering support services […]

Our customer, GJD designs, produces and sells intruder detection products at its factory and head office in Heywood, Greater Manchester. One of GJD’s main products is its line of white-light and infra-red LED illuminators, marketed under the company’s Clarius® brand. Used principally in security applications, they also find other uses, including broadcast production. High performance […]

Visitors to the our Technology Centre near Oxford will have noticed the enclosure containing a robot-mounted Relyon PB3 Plasmabrush plasma surface treatment system. We have created an integrated plasma surface treatment package which is being used for customer demonstrations and evaluations, and is available for purchase as a turnkey automated workstation. The Relyon PB3 Plasmabrush plasma treatment […]

According to the IFR (International Federation of Robotics) World Robotics Report 2015, there are 16,935 robots in the UK. There are 1,200 large UK manufacturing companies and 87,000 SMEs – between 10,000 and 20,000 of these are potential candidates for robotic automation. The latest forecast from the IFR says that by 2019, more than 1.4 […]

Today I was made aware of this interview on the BBC News, given by friend Mike Wilson, President of the British Automation and Robot Association (BARA). It takes place during the CBI  Conference in London last November, and Mike is asked to comment on Theresa May’s pledge to invest £2bn a year in an effort to […]

If you’ve visited our Technology Centre here in Kidlington lately, you will have noticed the enclosure containing a robot-mounted Relyon PB3 Plasmabrush plasma surface treatment system.   Relyon plasma surface treatment products improve adhesion and wetting of surfaces which are otherwise difficult to bond, print on, coat or laminate. Atmospheric plasma surface treatment is both […]

Low cost dispensing robots provide versatility , precision productivity in the automation of dispensing operations. The Fisnar F5200N.1 is a compact and economical gantry robot which enables unlimited work height and provides open access. It can form dots, lines, arcs and circles, and has a capacity of 100 programs, each with up to 4000 points. […]

We offer a small-footprint benchtop robot that enables cost-effective automation of any dispensing operation. The Fisnar F4200N robot features a true three-axis design, and can be interfaced with any of our dispensing equipment. This makes it ideal for form-in-place gaskets, adhesives, coatings, potting, filling and shielding in the lab or on the line. Programming is straightforward, […]

The newsletter from the Chief Economist of RBS landed in our in-box this morning. I quote: The UK’s labour market recovery has been impressive but the same cannot be said for productivity. Output per hour in the UK was 18 percentage points below the average for the rest of the major G7 advanced economies in […]

Happy New Year! Let’s kick off with a report on our theme of 2016 – increasing productivity. Investing an additional £1.2bn into manufacturing processes, to increase robotics and automation over the next ten years, could add as much as £60.5bn to the UK economy over the next decade, forecasts research from Barclays. This is equivalent […]

The engineering and fitting of effective sealing has often been a rather unproductive and at times unsatisfactory business, frequently involving moulded or pre-punched gaskets, time-consuming installation of strip profiles or long waiting times while injected foams cure on stacked shelves. We have announced the new Dymax GA-201 UV cure FIP gasket material which in large measure […]

Extended curing times for adhesives can often create a bottleneck in the production process which can interrupt work flow. This was exactly the problem experienced by Brandon Medical Ltd. Technical Director Nigel Davill explained: “We had a problem bonding three polycarbonate lenses together to make the large front lens of our Quasar® eLite operating theatre […]

The accurate placement of a bead of adhesive, sealant or gasket material from a syringe demands a steady hand, close co-ordination and patience. Manufacturing environments also demand the additional element of speed needed to keep up with the rest of the process. The combination of all of these is a rare talent indeed. A better […]

British LED manufacturer Plessey Semiconductors have successfully made the transition from the manufacturing development phase (where manual methods of material preparation and application often suffice) to full production by employing some of our automated mixing and dispensing technologies. Carl Withers, Plessey’s Assembly Development Team Leader, explained: We develop leading edge LED technologies, based on Plessey’s […]

I recently read an article by Jim Camillo entitled Lubricant Dispensing, which was published on the excellent ASSEMBLY Magazine site. Jim wrote about the derivation of the expression The Real McCoy: Long before oil was automatically dispensed onto parts in assembly workstations, it was automatically dispensed onto the axles and bearings of a moving train. In […]

preeflow eco-PENs are easy-to-integrate dispensing systems, configurable in semi-automated right up to fully automated or robotic processes. The perfect endless piston technology, based on progressive cavity pumps, delivers precise fluid dispensing. Even high viscosity liquids like glues or conductive adhesives can be accurately applied, regardless if single part or two component. The integration is simple – […]

Last week, we delivered the latest in a long line of dispensing robot workstations designed and built here at INTERTRONICS. This robot is dispensing a two-part structural adhesive from a 50ml cartridge, which is mixed through a static mixing nozzle on the head. Like many of the workstations we supply, this one is custom built to […]

To ensure the required aspect ratio (height v base width) for liquid seals or gaskets, the sealant can be applied as a series of beads, one on top of the other. We call this bead-on-bead. With this methodology, a set height can be achieved with a small or specified base width. Often UV curable adhesives are used […]

Contract electronics manufacturer CT Production recently contacted us when they needed to expand their dispensing robot capability for a low energy lighting product. Explained CT Production MD Alan Trevarton: It is company strategy to compete with offshore manufacturing by lowering costs using robotics – compared with manual operatives the benefits are greater flexibility, continuous working, reduced […]

With low cost robotics playing a significant part in cost-reduced/quality-upgraded small scale production, the new Fisnar Unitop F5200N will interest production engineers in all industries, especially as it has the ability to be used as a gantry, as well as a benchtop robot. The F5200N is a compact dispensing robot with all moving axes above […]

High precision, accuracy and repeatability in dispensing is becoming ever more important to our customers. Consequently INTERTRONICS, in partnership ViscoTec, will now be supplying UK industry with the latest in preeflow precision volumetric, positive displacement, dosing/dispensing systems. Preeflow volumetric dosing equipment, manufactured by ViscoTec, is capable of dispensing adhesives, pastes, form-in-place gaskets, sealants, etc – in dots, […]

Are you looking for an efficient method for dispensing in a circular pattern? The Fisnar F1300N.2 rotary dispensing table is the answer. The F1300N.2 allows you to dispense circular patterns on a wide range of parts, including those with areas that are difficult to access. The Z-axis tilts to allow controlled rotary dispensing at an angle, […]

A heartening article on the website of our friends at EMT WorldWide: they report on a strong comeback of the global robotics industry. In 2010, with more than 115,000 industrial robots shipped, the number of units sold worldwide almost doubled, with 2009 being the lowest year since the early ’90s. The growth in UK manufacturing […]

This week, we will exhibiting at MEDTEC UK in April (6-7th) at the NEC. Along with UV, cyanoacrylate and epoxy adhesives, we will showing  UV curing equipment, dispensing, application and mixing equipment. This will include the THINKY mixing range, a Fisnar benchtop dispensing robot and a DYMAX LED Prime UVA spot curing lamp demonstrating the fast curing of medical grade, ISO […]

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has provided £600,000 to simulate the adoption of automation in the UK. A recent study finds that the UK lags behind the rest of the world in the adoption of automation. So the issue is to be addressed with an action plan of initiatives to stimulate growth. […]

We are pleased to announce that the 28 page Fisnar Robotics Catalogue – for dispensing automation is now available to download. Get your copy now from our Robotic Dispensing & Assembly page on the website.

We have just added Technical Bulletin TB2009-14 to our articles page about using benchtop robotics to lay down liquid Form-in-Place gaskets.

A bumper issue of FAST magazine arrived this week, its content bolstered by an article from us. Improving Industrial Dispensing with Pneumatic Dispensing Valves discussed what improvements you can get by moving from simple pressure dispensing to a valve. You can download the article from our Technical Bulletins & Articles page.

Usually, our dispensing robots are concerned with more mundane tasks – like dispensing adhesives. But the creativity and humour of the French I&J Fisnar staff are well applied here, a trade show display. Make sure your sound is on for the best effect!

The latest survey of robot sales in the UK produced by British Automation and Robot Association (BARA), based at the University of Warwick, reveals UK small businesses are failing to exploit a significant fall in price of industrial robots at a time when US figures are showing record sales of robots to US small businesses. […]