OMIC R&D Partners with SMW AUTOBLOK For Robotics Project

Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center Research and Development (OMIC R&D), a manufacturing research campus hosted by Oregon Tech, has received a $154,000 sponsored project from SMW-AUTOBLOK Corporation. Jordan Meader, a robotics solution researcher at OMIC R&D, will be the principal investigator on the project.

OMIC R&D will conduct research into advanced and automated connection interfaces for robotic end effectors in collaboration with engineers from SMW-AUTOBLOK. The project is scheduled to take place over the next 12 months and will create a unique robotics connection interface expected to become available in SMW-AUTOBLOK’s catalog as an enhancement to small and medium shops integrating robotics. The interface is meant to aid against the time loss associated with human interaction that often leads to damaged cables and connectors.

“We are eager to apply the results of this research project to provide ideal solutions to meet the needs of our customers and enhance modern manufacturing,” says Larry Robbins, president of the commercial division at SMW-AUTOBLOK.

OMIC R&D members Doosan Machine Tools America and Ellison Technologies are contributing to the project by consigning a state-of-the-art cobot from the recently debuted H2017 series. The cobot will allow OMIC R&D to demonstrate the capabilities of this research on a platform uniquely suited to variable load machine tending.

“With the addition of this research project, OMIC R&D will demonstrate the expansion of our capabilities into creating novel robotic solutions to complex systemic challenges in industry,” says Josh Koch, operations lead at OMIC R&D. “We are excited to begin this work for SMW-AUTOBLOK.”