A tool for manufacturing of a reinforcement bar structure, wherein the tool comprises a main body, a jaw arrangement, a tying device and an arrangement configured for moving the jaw arrangement between a gripping state and a tying state. A system for manufacturing a reinforcement bar structure, wherein the system comprises a supply of reinforcement bar material, a bending apparatus, a holding apparatus and a group of robots wherein at least one robot of the group of robots is equipped with the tool for manufacturing a reinforcement bar structure. A method for transporting and attaching a reinforcement bar during manufacturing of a reinforcement bar structure using a tool comprising a main body, the method comprising gripping a reinforcement bar, tying together the reinforcement bar with another reinforcement bar by looping a wire around the reinforcement bars, tightening the wire around the reinforcement bars, forming a knot, and cutting the wire.

A binding system including: a binding device including a binding machine that binds reinforcing bars with a wire, and a transfer robot that moves the binding machine to a binding position; a remaining wire amount detection unit configured to detect a remaining amount of the wire to be used in the binding machine; and processing circuitry configured to control a binding operation of the binding device based on the remaining amount of the wire detected by the remaining wire amount detection unit.

A binding device including: a binding machine that binds reinforcing bars with a wire; and a transfer robot that moves the binding machine and the reinforcing bars positioned at a binding position in a direction of approaching and a direction of separating from each other by a relative movement of the binding machine and the reinforcing bars. The binding machine is configured to determine, when the binding machine starts an operation of binding the reinforcing bars with the wire, a timing of moving the binding machine and the reinforcing bars in the direction of separating from each other, and the transfer robot is configured to move the binding machine and the reinforcing bars in the direction of separating from each other at the determined timing.

An elevator inspection and maintenance system, the system including a mechatronic body movable via remote or automatic operation, an inspection and maintenance head installed on the mechatronic body, where the inspection and maintenance head is fitted with a sensor or a manipulation tool to perform an inspection or a maintenance operation on at least one component of an elevator system remotely or automatically.

Robots are commonly used for automated MIG (Metal Inert Gas) or TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding in many industries such as automotive manufacturing. A weld procedure is defined and the robot performs motion control of the weld torch along the weld seam, while starting and stopping the arc as desired along the weld seams. The robot controls the motion of the torch along the weld path. The motion is defined by a combination of the position and orientation of the torch which is attached to the robot end-effector. The weld specification will generally prescribe a portion or all of the desired orientation of the torch. This information can be used to reduce the complexity of programming a weld path for a robot.

A reel holding device includes a first reel support member that includes a first placement member that rotatably supports a first reel and a second reel support member that supports a second reel. The first reel support member is rotatable between a reference position at which a carrier tape of the first reel is supplied to the mounter, and a discharge position for discharging the first reel. By rotating the first reel support member from the reference position toward the discharge position, the first reel drops through an opening of the first placement member and is discharged. When the first reel support member returns from the discharge position to the reference position, the second reel moves through the opening and into the interior of the first placement member.

A box folding structure for folding a box is disclosed. The box folding structure includes a curved folding member and an erect folding member. The curved folding member can include a curved surface, a retaining surface, and a first inclined folding surface. The curved surface can be used to fold dust flaps of a box. The retaining surface can be adjacent to the curved surface and can be used for folding a first outer flap of the box. The first inclined folding surface can be defined on a portion of the curved folding member that is adjacent to the curved surface and can be used for folding a second outer flap of the box. The erect folding member can be laterally offset from the curved folding member and can include a second inclined folding surface opposite the first inclined folding surface for folding a second outer flap of the box.

Methods and apparatus for performing repair operations using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The methods are enabled by equipping the UAV with tools for rapidly repairing a large structure or object (e.g., an aircraft or a wind turbine blade) that is not easily accessible to maintenance personnel. A plurality of tools are available for robotic selection and placement at the repair site. The tools are designed to perform respective repair operations in sequence in accordance with a specified repair plan, which plan may take into account the results of a previously performed UAV-enabled inspection.

A clamp for a robotic drill and related method and system for robotic drilling of a component. The clamp attaches to a drilling tool of a robotic drill. The clamp includes: an attachment portion configured for attachment to the drilling tool; a frame linearly moveable relative to the attachment portion along a central axis of the clamp parallel to a drilling direction of the drilling tool; an actuation mechanism including a servo motor configured to drive linear movement of the frame relative to the drilling tool; a workpiece contacting portion at a distal end of the frame, including a surface for contacting a surface of a workpiece to be drilled and an aperture allowing for passage of a drill bit of the drilling tool through to the workpiece surface; and a force sensor arranged to measure a force acting on the workpiece contacting portion in the drilling direction.

A fiber includes M primary cores and N redundant cores, where M an integer is greater than two and N is an integer greater than one. Interferometric circuitry detects interferometric pattern data associated with the M primary cores and the N redundant cores when the optical fiber is placed into a sensing position. Data processing circuitry calculates a primary core fiber bend value for the M primary cores and a redundant core fiber bend value for the N redundant cores based on a predetermined geometry of the M primary cores and the N redundant cores in the fiber and detected interferometric pattern data associated with the M primary cores and the N redundant cores. The primary core fiber bend value and the redundant core fiber bend value are compared in a comparison. The detected data for the M primary cores is determined reliable or unreliable based on the comparison. A signal is generated in response to an unreliable determination.