FEATURE ON ROBOTS AND AUTOMATION

Steel Manufacturer Cuts Costs 50% With Bespoke Solution

Yorkshire-based company Shafton Steel Services has significantly reduced both costs and maintenance time after replacing a traditional conveyor system with a tailored lifting solution. At its facility in South Yorkshire, Shafton Steel Services, part of Billington Holdings’ group of companies, operates a robotic coping and drilling line that generates large quantities of steel scrap, which falls into a pit beneath the machine.

Typically, conveyor systems are used to handle this type of waste. However, due to space constraints at the installation site, the company opted for an alternative solution based on a scissor lift table. A conventional conveyor system would have required too large a footprint to accommodate the machine in its intended location.

Compared to a conveyor system, the footprint is significantly smaller, while maintenance requirements and safety risks are reduced. The lift table allows us to raise the entire unit by crane, ensuring full access to all components and safer cleaning of the pit.

“It’s 20-25% easier to perform maintenance work on the lift compared with a conveyor, which has a clear impact on our bottom line,” says Ryan O’Connor, profile manager at Shafton Steel Services.

The company commissioned the design and implementation of the scissor lift table, which runs on a rail system inside the pit. Steel scrap is collected in a bin placed on the lift platform and transported to one end of the system, where it is raised to floor level and removed. The total investment came to just under £29,000, approximately half the cost of a comparable conveyor system, according to O’Connor.

The lift table was developed and supplied by Sax Lift. The project reflects a broader trend for the company, which is seeing increasing demand for bespoke products in the UK market.

More information www.saxlift.com

Humanoid Robots Show ROI But Success Is Output Dependent

Humanoid robots are moving from prototype validation toward early commercial deployment, with automotive manufacturing and logistics expected to form the core demand base over the next decade. According to IDTechEx, the humanoid robot market across sectors like automotive and logistics is forecast to grow rapidly over the coming years, reaching approximately US$25bn by the early 2030s. Annual shipments are projected to approach 1.8 million units by 2036, driven primarily by automotive manufacturing.

Return on investment (ROI) is clearly key, with IDTechEx calculations suggesting that humanoid robots are beginning to show a clear payback pathway under favourable deployment conditions. By 2026, payback periods can be reduced to around 6 months under high-utilisation scenarios, compared with approximately 15 months under medium utilisation.

As hardware prices continue to decline and deployment experience improves, ROI feasibility is expected to strengthen across a broader range of industrial applications. However, a shorter payback period should not be interpreted as guaranteed profitability. The core variable in humanoid robot economics is not only equipment cost, but the effective value of the work delivered by the robot. In practical terms, this means whether the robot can perform economically valuable tasks consistently, reliably and at a sufficient level of productivity across different environments.

This remains the main bottleneck for large-scale adoption. Humanoid robots are becoming increasingly feasible in selected structured industrial environments, but capability limitations remain clear in complex, variable or safety-critical tasks.

Overall, IDTechEx believes that the cost advantage of humanoid robots is becoming increasingly visible, and ROI can already be demonstrated in selected deployment scenarios. However, large-scale commercialisation will depend on continued improvements in software capability, task generalisation, system integration and deployment efficiency, rather than hardware cost decline alone.

More information www.IDTechEx.com/HumanoidRobotics

Bringing Connected CNC Automation To IMTS 2026 Exhibition

North American manufacturers are under growing pressure to increase productivity, use skilled labour more effectively and respond to changing production demands. At IMTS 2026, CNC automation specialist Tezmaksan will demonstrate its CubeBOX range of robotic machine tending systems. The Turkish engineering and automation company will show how CNC machine tending can be made more accessible, flexible and practical.

Tezmaksan will exhibit with its North American partner, Dynamic Machine, at McCormick Place in Chicago from September 14 to 19, 2026. Dynamic Machine supplies CNC machine tools, automation and turnkey manufacturing systems across North America. At Booth #339430, the company will present variations of CubeBOX, a modular automation cell that combines robotic machine tending, part storage, pallet handling and control software to suit different production requirements.

“North American manufacturers are looking for practical ways to increase capacity, manage labour pressures and adapt to changing customer requirements,” explains Hakan Aydoğdu, CEO of Tezmaksan. “Our message at IMTS is that automation does not need to begin with a large or complicated project. The CubeBOX range gives manufacturers different entry points depending on their machines, applications, production volumes and available floor space.”

The systems on the stand will demonstrate different approaches to automated production.

CubeBOX Blues DR-3P, for example, uses a drawer-based configuration to organise and present components for robotic loading, while CubeBOX Blues RT-Vice deploys multiple vices arranged around a rotary table. The CubeBOX pallet pool supports automated pallet handling, with EcoLEAN V1 providing a compact collaborative robotics option.

“The products tell a connected story,” continues Aydoğdu. “Whether a manufacturer needs drawer-based part handling, vice automation, pallet movement or a collaborative solution, the objective is the same: to reduce unnecessary manual handling, keep machines productive and make production easier to manage.”

More information www.tezmaksanrobotics.com

Regulation Shifts Safety Responsibilities To Machine Operators

Leuze is advising manufacturers, machine builders and operators to prepare early for the implementation of the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, which will apply from 20 January 2027.

While manufacturers remain responsible for compliance when machinery is first placed on the market, the new regulation expands responsibilities for operators throughout the machine’s operational lifecycle. It introduces requirements covering cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and substantial modifications, with operators making significant changes potentially assuming the role of manufacturer. This can require risk assessments, technical documentation and conformity assessments before modified machinery is returned to service.

With official implementation guidance still developing, many organisations face uncertainty over how the regulation will apply to existing machinery. Leuze therefore recommends that manufacturers and operators begin reviewing their machinery, documentation and modification procedures now.

“As companies prepare for the transition, understanding how the new regulation applies to existing machinery is becoming increasingly important,” says Markus Erdorf, senior safety consultant at Leuze. “Organisations should begin reviewing their machinery, documentation, cybersecurity strategies and modification procedures rather than waiting for the implementation deadline.”

A notable development is the integration of cybersecurity into machinery safety requirements. Organisations will need to protect machinery against unauthorised access, data manipulation and other cyber risks, supported by appropriate risk assessments and documentation. This requires closer collaboration between safety engineers, automation specialists and IT security teams.

Leuze recommends early review of regulatory requirements, close co-operation with machinery manufacturers and system integrators, thorough documentation of safety-related modifications and inspections, and assessment of whether planned changes constitute substantial modifications.

“The responsibility for machine safety no longer ends when equipment is commissioned,” adds Erdorf. “Preparing today will help reduce compliance risks and ensure safe machine operation throughout its lifecycle.”

More information www.leuze.com

FANUC Launches Its Lightest Collaborative Welding Robot

FANUC Europe has launched the CRX-3iA collaborative robot, the lightest and smallest model in the CRX portfolio. Weighing just 11 kg and offering a 3 kg payload, the compact, portable and intuitive robot is particularly suited to welding applications, helping address the shortage of skilled welders across Europe.

The CRX-3iA can be carried with one hand, enabling a single operator to supervise multiple welding locations. Its ±0.02 mm repeatability provides the precision required for critical welding tasks, while it can simultaneously manipulate a welding torch and seam-tracking sensor. After relocation, the robot automatically detects its installation angle, identifies weld seam locations and calculates appropriate paths using a third-party laser scanner or touch sensor.

An optional magnetic base allows the CRX-3iA to be secured directly to large steel structures, reducing system complexity compared with traditional robot installations that typically require heavier equipment and additional safeguarding.

As part of FANUC’s CRX series, which extends to 30 kg payload and 1756 mm reach, the CRX-3iA integrates with the company’s established control and software ecosystem. FANUC’s wrist button technology also enables operators to guide and teach positions directly from the robot arm, simplifying programming and reducing changeover times.

Beyond welding, the CRX-3iA is suited to intralogistics and mobile automation. Its low mass and compact footprint make it suitable for mounting on automated guided vehicles (AGVs) for picking, placing and line supply applications. It is also well suited to education and training environments where space is limited.

“Manufacturers need automation that adapts to their environment,” says Paul Ribus, FANUC’s head of sales co-ordination Europe. “The CRX-3iA delivers portability, fast deployment and high repeatability wherever the work is.”

The robot will make its UK debut at FANUC’s open house on 3-4 November.

More information www.fanuc.eu