The Vectis Cobot Welding Tool

The American Welding Society is estimating a shortage of 400,000 welders by 2025.

Introducing the Vectis Cobot Welding Tool

An automated flexible welding tool by Vectis Automation that uses collaborative robot technology from Universal Robots, the world's #1 cobot manufacturer, to leverage and boost weld shop productivity and help the industry stay competitive!


• Less cost
• Less risk
• Less setup time

Need more info? 

  Download/view the full brochure.


The Vectis Cobot Welder can:

• Reduce your lead times
• Lower your costs
• Increase shop capacity
• Help grow sales
• Soften the blow of the skilled labor shortage
• Reduce post-ops
• Increase quality
• Improve safety
• Reduce operator fatigue

New Machine Safety Course Available

FPE Automation is proud to offer a new Machine Safety course at its training facility. Introducing...

Safeguarding Fundamentals with Omron

One-day workshop offers hands-on training.

The session will introduce you to the requirements, methods, and practical application of machine and process safeguarding. You will be introduced to applicable regulatory requirements to help you identify and assess machine safety risks, deploy safeguarding concepts based on identified risks and participate in a basic machine guarding inspection process of your equipment. 

Lunch will be served.

A practical approach to risk assessment and risk reduction.

• Identifying machine and process hazards
• Identifying safeguarding requirements
• Safety circuits / control reliability
• Hierarchy of controls / safeguarding methods
• Muting vs. bypassing
• Requirements for barrier guards
• Stop time measurements & safety distance formulas
• Types of stops
• General requirements of machine tools
• Workshop (team risk assessment on shop floor)

MORE INFORMATION/COURSE SCHEDULE/TO REGISTER: 

http://www.fpeautomation.com/safeguarding

Universal Robots Year-End Tax Credits

You may be eligible for a significant tax deduction from the Federal Government for the purchase of a cobot. 

Section 179 of the Internal Revenue Code allows US businesses to take a significant tax deduction for qualified equipment that is put into service by December 31, 2019. That includes collaborative robots (cobots).

But you have to act quickly... 

Universal Robots guarantees year-end delivery for cobot orders received and processed by mid-December. You can buy, finance or lease a UR collaborative robot and save a substantial amount of money! 

If you want to take advantage of the tax credit, talk to your tax professional and contact FPE Automation ASAP for a quote!

MORE INFORMATION

#universalrobots #collaborativerobot  #cobots #factoryautomation #industrialrobotics

Authorized Universal Robots UR CORE Training - New Dates Added

FPE Automation Authorized Universal Robots UR CORE Training

FPE Automation is an authorized UR CORE training facility. We've just added new dates to our schedule for this popular 2-day training. Learn how to program and deploy the world's #1 collaborative robot in a hands-on, relaxed setting.

MORE INFORMATION/TO REGISTER
visit https://academy.universal-robots.com/fpe-automation/

OnRobot Case Study: The Benefits of Collaborative Robots in Machine Tending

Tomenson Machine Works had difficulty staffing workers to perform their most repetitive tasks until they used Universal Robots with OnRobot grippers in their pin stamping operation. 

FPE Automation customer, West Chicago-based Tomenson Machine Works chose OnRobot because their RG6 gripper was able to handle their smallest to largest parts.

Collaborative robots were a must for Tomenson. The ability to work alongside humans and not require safety guarding was imperative. They didn't think traditional robots would be a fit. Finding the right gripper was even more of a challenge. The size of the precision hydraulic manifolds they produce is constantly changing. 

In this video, they talk about how easy it was to integrate the collaborative robots. FPE Automation's Brian Einzig discusses the flexibility of OnRobot products. For Tomenson, ROI was 6-7 months, and their employees are happy to be able to focus on more engaging tasks, like their more complex parts. They saw a 40% reduction in engraver misloads, a substantial quality improvement. They are running their robot on both first and second shift and exploring new ways they can add collaborative robotics to their business model. 

This is the second case study this week released by Universal Robots featuring FPE Automation! That is unprecedented, and indicative of the great things that are going on in the Midwest in industrial automation. FPE, an authorized, premier distributor of Universal Robots, is proud to be at the center of it all. 

FPE Automation was recently featured in a case study presented by Universal Robots.

UR Enables Die Casting Company to Keep Jobs in the USA

Universal Robots produced this case study at FPE Automation's Franklin Park-based customer, RCM Industries, Inc.

FPE's Cameron Friend was instrumental in getting RCM's compelling story told. Turns out, they were able to keep jobs in the United States by deploying collaborative robots to do machine tending. Best of all, RCM was able to get a return on their investment in less than 12 months. Check it out!

MAC New Generation High Flow Individual Solenoid Valve for 26 Line Blocks

Designed for Glass Applications

Over 15,000 installations worldwide.

This updated solution from MAC Valves has, at its heart, a MAC Bonded Spool as well as a work-horse 35 Series type balanced pilot. It is designed for rugged environments, and available at FPE Automation.

  DOWNLOAD THE ALL-NEW BROCHURE/TECH SPECS HERE

PHD Inc. Releases New Hot Stamping Brochure for Industrial Automation

Tooling for Hot Forming Applications

A new resource from PHD: Hot Forming Solutions Brochure now available.

Hot forming or hot stamping is the process of heating steel to approximately 950°C. It is then formed in water-cooled dies for a certain time. The end result, the item produced is two to three times the strength of conventionally stamped part. 

Automotive parts that utilize this process may include A and B pillars, frame tunnels, side-impact supports, roof rails, and panel rockers. 

PHD has about ten years of hot stamping process experience. That is roughly as long as the technology has been around. PHD was involved in designing and implementing solutions for hot stamped pressings while the technology was being developed, and has been doing so ever since. Their expertise enables them to fully understand the challenging requirements of this forming process.


  Download/view the PHD Hot Forming Solutions Brochure

Universal Robots and FPE Partner Fusion OEM Featured on Fox Business

Fox Business aired this live segment featuring FPE partner Fusion OEM's Craig Zoberis. 

Now hiring robots as your 'buddy' on the production floor:

Fusion OEM integrates Universal Robots into innovative CNC machine tending solutions. The news story shows how collaborative robots are solving labor challenges in manufacturing, where there are currently job shortages. By performing dull, dirty and dangerous tasks (sometimes referred to as the three "D"s), robots make jobs easier and safer for the people who work alongside them. That technology allows American manufacturers to attract workers where they could not previously. It also helps business to keep jobs in the region by doing less with more and by keeping workers safer. FPE Automation works closely with both Universal Robots and Fusion OEM to help make all of this happen.

High School Students Explore Robotics as a Career Path with FPE Automation's Help

Area high school students visit with business officials and learn about future career and education opportunities, with the help of FPE Automation and the Great River Economic Development Foundation

Kurt Vaeth of FPE Automation, left, helps Josey Rarick and Monroe Fox use a robotic arm controlled by a tablet during the third annual Tri-State MakerFest on Wednesday, Oct. 3, at the Oakley-Lindsay Center. Area high school students visited with business officials and learned about future career and education opportunities.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

FPE Automation, Inc.'s Kurt Vaeth received some well-deserved press today in the local news publication the Herald-Whig in the Quincy, Illinois area for his involvement with high school students. 

For more than 50 years, FPE, a third-generation family-owned business, has lived and worked in the community we serve. Our territory is also our home. To say that we are committed to the future of Midwest manufacturing and jobs is an understatement. Today, we're proud of everyone who was involved in MakerFest! Great job, Kurt!

#fpegivesback

IMEC and FPE Automation Talk Collaborative Robots at John Woods Community College

Are you in the Quincy, Illinois area? 

If so, you are invited to join FPE Automation's Kurt Vaeth, together with IMEC Illinois at John Wood Community College on Tuesday, September 24 from 9:00 am - 2:30 pm for a deep dive into taking your manufacturing to the next level. 

ABC’s of a Thriving Workforce: Adapt New Technologies, Build Strong Leaders and Concentrate on Employee Growth

Kurt will be presenting two of today's hottest topics in industry: 

Automation as a Workforce Multiplier
Collaborative Robotics to Replace the Dull, Dirty and Dangerous Tasks

Don't miss it! 

For more than a half a century, FPE Automation has lived and worked in the community it serves. We are committed to fostering local growth, and to the strength and skills of the American manufacturing worker. It's the reason we work with important organizations like IMEC and appear regularly in the Midwest's finest educational institutions. 

MORE INFORMATION/REGISTER HERE

#fpegivesback

Introducing the UR16e - the Latest Universal Robot Collaborative Robot With the Largest Payload to Date

Universal Robots introduced the new UR16e today!

The latest collaborative robot has a 16kg payload, UR's biggest ever.

"The utility of this collaborative industrial robot is unmatchable. The UR16e is built for heavy duty tasks like machine tending, material handling, packaging, material removal, and screw and nut driving applications.  It handles an exceptional 16 kg of payload that is especially useful for carrying heavy end of arm tooling and can lift multiple parts in a single pick, making tasks much more efficient by achieving shorter cycle times." - Universal Robots

The UR16e has a 16kg payload at its full reach of 900mm, with ±0.05mm repeatability. It is ideal for heavier duty material handling or machine tending.  Like all Universal Robots collaborative robots, the UR16e features easy, fast deployment and can handle dull or dirty or dangerous tasks that are not suitable or not safe for humans.  LEARN MORE

#universalrobots #cobots #collaborativerobots

New Date Added for FPE Automation's Popular 'Get to Know Your UR' Training

Hands-on Universal Robots Training

PICK & PLACE | TEACH TCP 
DEPLOYMENT | SAFETY

FPE Automation is a premier UR partner, providing authorized Universal Robots collaborative robot (cobot) training.

Exclusively for FPE Automation’s valued UR clients who have recently purchased the world's #1 collaborative robot, or have made the decision to do so in the near future. 

We’d like to congratulate you as you step into the game-changing world of cobots in the workplace. So, what’s next? We’re here to help you leverage this cutting-edge technology, and make the most of your investment. We offer in-depth, easy-to-understand Universal Robots training in a casual environment. We’ll spare you the classroom-style learning. Rather, you’ll work right alongside our experts to create your own pick and place application. Discover how quickly and easily you can deploy the UR. You’ll leave with the knowledge you need to make the most of your cobot. It’s part of the award-winning service FPE Automation provides. 

GET TO KNOW YOUR UR

Hurry! Class size is limited. Grab one of the few remaining available seats in October, or sign up for the just-added November session today! 

#universalrobots #collaborativerobots #cobots

MiR's RaaS Leasing Option Makes AMRs Affordable and Accessible

Deploying autonomous mobile robots from MiR may be a more attainable goal than you think.

Robots as a Service (RaaS) is a leasing option from Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR). It allows companies of any size—from small start-ups to multinational enterprises— to deploy mobile robot solutions with low (or no) upfront costs and low monthly payments. RaaS lowers financial barriers for investing in AMRs and gives customers a near immediate return on investment (ROI).

Mobile industrial collaborative robots free workers up to do higher-value tasks. Because they are safe and easy to deploy, their popularity is increasing quickly. Discover why!

Talk to the experts at FPE Automation.

More information about MiR's RaaS leasing program is available here.

How is Deep Learning Different from Machine Vision?

From OCR to defect detection, deep learning thrives when inspection isn’t clear cut.

Content courtesy of Cognex.

Deep learning technology might seem cutting edge, but it’s a perfect complement to machine vision inspection applications now. In this quick video overview and downloadable eBook, Cognex explains the differences between the two inspection approaches and when it makes sense to use deep learning or traditional machine vision for your factory automation strategy.

Further, you’ll learn:

• How deep learning differs from machine vision
• How deep learning systems learn via neural networks
• Which types of applications are best suited to deep learning methods
• How deep learning benefits industrial manufacturing

  Download the eBook

New Date Added! Authorized UR Core Training at FPE Automation

NEW DATE ADDED!

Authorized Universal Robots UR CORE training course at FPE Automation


Tuesday-Wednesday, September 17-18

2-day technical training program. Learn to program, test and repair a Universal Robot collaborative robot (cobot).

MORE INFORMATION >>

FPE Automation Wins Award for #1 PHD Top Performer August 2019 - Congratulations to Steve Moore!

Congratulations to FPE Automation's Steve Moore! 

Steve took the top spot on PHD Inc's Top Performers list in August for an application at a metal stamping plant. Steve worked with the company's production team to present clamps and slides that would handle the 24/7 rugged progressive die stamping environment. Delivery was paramount. Although both the clamp and slide shipping times were in the acceptable range for their build timeline, Steve worked with their applications engineering team to reconfigure the clamps to have switches so they could ship even sooner. 

Clamps and slides alone don't make an impact. They don't win awards on their own. 

Solutions do. 

Effective implementation of these products can make your plant run better. They can make you more productive, more reliable and they can make your products better. Trust FPE Automation and the experts at PHD Inc. to assist you in implementing effective solutions for your business.

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Also a winner in August - FPE Automation's Joe Judge appeared on the Top Performers list for his PHD Unique Solutions application in the packaging industry. 

Chat is back on www.fpeautomation.com!

Live chat is available again on FPE Automation's website.

Real-time, live chat is back on the FPE Automation website!

After a brief break, we've redesigned the chat feature on our site and made it available to you once again. 

What hasn't changed? 

At FPE Automation, we're committed to quality service. What you don't get is a novice. 

We've staffed our chat room with experts who have product knowledge to assist you. You'll see the name of the person assisting you. They will know the answers, or know how to get them for you. 

Who will you be chatting with? 

Experienced members of our tech team. If you've worked with us for a while, you might already know their names. Here are a few examples:

BARRY ALLEN Customer Service Manager Over 30 years industry experience.	HENRY SCHUH Branch ManagerOver 25 years industry experience.	ED NOWAK Value-Added Services ManagerOver 20 years industry experience.

Real time chat with FPE Automation. Visit the website to give it a try!

Universal Robots Training at FPE Automation

Get to Know Your UR

Wednesday, August 14 at FPE Automation in Elk Grove Village.

Have you recently purchased a Universal Robots collaborative robot, or have you decided to do so in the near future? We've got a "Get to Know Your UR" class for you!

This is a regularly scheduled class that FPE Automation offers in various locations. The next one takes place this upcoming Wednesday, August 14.

It's an opportunity to spend hands-on time interacting with the #cobot and learning all about its features. For our valued FPE/UR customers, there is no cost to attend.

If this describes you, don't miss this opportunity to get the most out of your collaborative robot!

FPE/IMEC Breakfast with the Bots Event in Manufacturing News

FPE Automation and IMEC's Upcoming Breakfast with the Bots at the Danville Area Community College is featured in Midwest Manufacturing News

Midwest Manufacturing News ran an article about FPE Automation/IMEC's Breakfast with the Bots. The event, taking place on August 21, is designed to help manufacturers who are faced with workforce shortages. Robotics can be used to address those challenges. Collaborative robots are designed to work with, and among, employees without the need for costly safety infrastructure. The Breakfast with the Bots workshop will include demonstrations of cobots, and give attendees the opportunity to learn about the many ways cobots can benefit them.

Learn more about Breakfast with the Bots at Danville Area Community Collage on August 21


REGISTER TO ATTEND

#fpegivesback

#universalrobots #collaborativerobots #cobots

FPE Automation Tech Expo: Next Level Manufacturing

Announcing the FPE Automation Tech Expo: Next Level Manufacturing

It's our biggest event of the year!

The very latest in automation and manufacturing on display, plus food and beverages, valuable prizes, fun activities and more.

October 15, 2019 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the DoubleTree by Hilton-Chicago in Arlington Heights, Illinois

REGISTER TODAY! 

#fpetechexpo