DAC102021

n NEWS October 2021 www.drivesncontrols.com 12 UNIVERSAL ROBOTS (UR) has launched a leasing scheme that will allow SME manufacturers in the UK and Ireland to lease a cobot (collaborative robot) from £450 per month, with nothing to pay until 2022. The aim is to cut the costs of introducing automation for SME manufacturers by avoiding the need for an upfront capital investment. The scheme will allow them to deploy cobots now and to spread the cost over a 36-month period, helping to address labour shortages, improve output and make their operations more competitive. UR says that, in many cases, the manufacturers will be able to fund their monthly payments from already-realised productivity gains. At the end of the leasing agreement, the manufacturer will have a choice. They can buy the cobot at a reduced cost, upgrade to a newer technology, renew the agreement, or simply return the rented cobot. “We’re on a mission to ensure companies of all sizes can reach their full potential and this kind of leasing scheme will bring the benefits of automation and cobots to many more organisations,” says Mark Gray, Universal Robots’manager for the UK and Ireland. “I believe that improving the productivity of the UK SME manufacturing sector will have a major impact on the overall UK economy.” The leasing scheme is being backed by DLL, a subsidiary of the Dutch banking and financial services company, Rabobank. It has been providing asset financing to manufacturers and hardware distributors in more than 30 countries, for over 50 years. https://www.universal-robots.com/uk/ ur-finance-solutions Lease a cobot from £450 per month with no upfront payment Universal Robots’leasing scheme will allow SMEs to acquire cobots with no upfront payment ABB HAS ANNOUNCED a service that allows users of its robots and controllers to transmit video and images of technical problems from a smartphone to a remotely located ABB technician, who can provide expert assistance. It says that the Virtual Assistance app and service will cut downtime and boost productivity. Using their phone’s camera, users establish a video link with the technician, who can see the equipment and talk the user through the steps needed to resolve the issue. ABB estimates that around a quarter of enquiries can be resolved virtually, helping to reduce the environmental impact of engineers having to travel to site. As well as a standalone service, ABB is also offering the Virtual Assistance app as part of an expanded offering called Technical Support Plus, which includes a condition-based monitoring report and certified training. www.abb.com/robotics Video service links robot users to experts via their phones Turck Banner Ltd. Blenheim House, Blenheim Court, Wickford, Essex SS11 8YT Tel: 01268 578888 wireless@turckbanner.co.uk Wireless Vibration & Temperature Monitoring As simple as your check engine light Distribute Connected data solutions • Data is pulled from the controller via cellular or Ethernet and Stored in a SCADA or Cloud Platform Alert and Consumption Consume the data via Dashboards, alerts and long term analysis • Early detection of any increase allows for planned, preventative maintenance Measure & Collect Wireless Vibration, Temperature & Current Monitoring • IP67 & IP69K Sensors • Sensors Powered by batteries Transmit IIOT Gateway/Controller Solution Kits • Sensors send data wirelessly to Gateway/Controller • Machine Learning Algorithm