Background Having proper nip roll alignment is crucially important for high-volume printing press machines. Five minutes of run time on misaligned rolls can result in thousands of dollars in damaged product. Depending on the size and location of the nip, taking nip measurements can be difficult...

Background Most electronic assembly processes are performed by high-precision robotic systems. These systems are tasked to properly move and insert delicate components onto a circuit board. As a result, the assembly robots must be checked frequently for changes in alignment that can occur with...

Background The food packaging industry must always maintain high standards for their packaging seals. These standards are to protect the consumer from tampering and/or receiving damaged product. Sealing bars are used to properly seal two parts of a package in a high temperature environment, and...

Background Ultrasonic welding machines are used to create uniform seals, which are vitally important for containing products like contact lenses. In the ultrasonic welding process, thermoplastics are bonded together through the use of heat and applied force. A damaged seal can result in leaky...

Quantify Grip Forces with FlexiForce™ Accurate grip measurement has become increasingly important in today’s world of continued ergonomic improvement and robotic grip applications. Historically, there have been limitations with grip measurement. Load cells are expensive and bulky; pressure films...

Tactile Feedback in Surgical Applications In recent years, robots have become an increasingly viable part of minimally invasive surgery. They offer improved range of motion in laparoscopic techniques. The drawback has been that robots have lacked the sense of touch, or haptic feedback, that is so...

FlexiForce™ Sensors Enhance Robotic Surgery Due to advances in biomedical engineering, robotic surgery has become increasingly popular. One significant disadvantage of robotic surgery; however, is the lack of haptic technology and inability to provide force feedback to the surgeon. Because many...

How does the right force sensor improve robot design? Robots in any industry, from consumer devices to manufacturing applications, must be able to sense whether or not a contact has been made, and/or how much force occurs during a given action. Force Sensing is Vital to Proper Balance Humanoid...