Hardware Podcasts

Ask an Expert: Versaflex conveyors with mk North America

The Robot Report Podcast · 3 Sept 2024 · 18m

What this episode covers

Michael Zampano, a mechanical project engineer at mk North America, explains the Versaflex AP10, a flexible plastic chain pallet conveyor designed for industrial robotic workcells. He details how the system handles workpiece palettes (approx. 300x300mm) with lift-and-locate accuracy of ±1mm, allowing robots to perform assembly operations. The AP10 bridges the gap between light and heavy duty systems by tripling load capacity to 66 lbs per palette while maintaining modularity and the ability to route parts through complex, reconfigurable tracks with spurs and curves.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
mk North America
Products
Versaflex AP10, Versaflex PO8, VersaMove

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 30m

    Intelligent Robots and the Warehouse of the Future

    Michael Perry, Vice President of Marketing at Dexterity, discusses how AI-enabled robots are transforming warehouse operations by handling variability that traditional automation cannot. He details Dexterity's platform, which integrates vision and touch to allow robots to pick, pack, and palletize mixed-SKU goods in existing 'brownfield' facilities without extensive infrastructure changes. Perry highlights a specific success story involving a bread fulfillment center where one robot managed over 10,000 SKUs, including deformable items like tortillas and loaves of bread, while also explaining the future of collaborative robot teams.

    Robotics & autonomyScaling production
    7 chapters

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 50m

    173: Leveraging Robotics in an Unstructured World with Dexterity's Michael Patrick Perry

    Michael Patrick Perry, Dexterity’s VP of Marketing, discusses how the company has scaled from a small team to nearly 260 employees, moving from bread packing to full warehouse automation. He explains Dexterity’s software-first approach, which allows robots to handle complex, unstructured tasks like truck loading and palletizing by combining vision, force control, and planning. Perry highlights the democratization of robotics, enabling smaller companies to deploy flexible solutions quickly without massive capital expenditure, while also detailing how AI is used to create customized marketing experiences for enterprise clients.

    Robotics & autonomyAI & machine learning
    9 chapters

  • The Manufacturing Executive

    Robot-Lean: Synthesizing Automation and Lean Manufacturing w/ Alex Webster

    Alex Webster, Founder and CEO of SDMS Robotics, explains how machine shops can synthesize traditional lean manufacturing principles with robotic automation to address labor shortages and high operational costs. He details the technical shift from traditional pallet pool systems to flexible, programmable workholding and gripping that enables high-mix, low-volume automation. Webster also discusses the role of industrial policy in reshoring and provides practical advice for manufacturers seeking to integrate robots from CNC machine integrators like Fanuc.

    Scaling productionManufacturing partners & offshoring
    8 chapters

  • Robot Talk · 19m

    Episode 72: Smart mobile robots for industry - Rafael Lopez

    Rafael Lopez, Managing Director of Robotnik Automation, discusses the evolution of his company from a garage startup in 2002 to its 2023 acquisition by United Robotics Group. He highlights the Summit XL, a general-purpose mobile platform capable of carrying 65kg and operating for 8 hours, which serves as the foundation for specialized robots like the Arby Watcher for electrical substation inspections. Lopez explains how Robotnik’s strategy of offering customizable platforms with mountable sensors allows them to address diverse applications ranging from logistics to security, supported by extensive EU-funded R&D projects.

    Robotics & autonomySensors & measurement in products
    6 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Robot Report Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.