Disclosed is a biological sample storage and retrieval apparatus, comprising a storage device, with the interior thereof being a cryogenic environment for storing a biological sample, and the biological sample comprising cryogenic vials and a cryogenic shelf for holding the cryogenic vials; an operation device detachably connected to the storage device for receiving a transfer tank for holding the biological sample and performing storage and retrieval of the biological sample in the storage device by means of the transfer tank; and a sealing device, the sealing device being used for sealing the storage device when the storage device is detached from the operation device. A cryogenic storage and retrieval method is also provided.

Embodiments provide for systems and methods related to kiosks for personalizing a packaged article. The kiosks may also be used for storage, inventory management, retrieval, packaging, and/or personalization of packaged articles. The kiosks discussed herein differ from non-kiosk personalization systems, such as personalization systems installed on a factory or warehouse floor, in that the kiosks are self-contained personalization systems. In some embodiments, the kiosks are portable and can be moved between different sites or events. This portability allows the kiosks to personalize packaged articles for concerts, festivals, conventions, trade shows, and the like.

The present invention relates to a chip tray positioning device, which mainly comprises a frame body, a tray conveying module, a pulling module, a pushing module and a controller. The tray conveying module is disposed on the frame body, electrically connected to the controller and controlled to convey a chip tray from the start area to the end area. The pulling module and the pushing module are disposed on the frame body, electrically connected to the controller and controlled to cause the chip tray to be abutted against the end wall and the lateral wall of the frame body, thereby realizing the positioning of the chip tray and eliminating an error formed in the transfer process of the chip tray. In addition, the controller also controls the pushing module to knock the chip tray at a specific frequency so that the chip tray is vibrated.

A system (10) for loading different conveying tracks (2, 3, 4) of at least one in particular commercial conveyor dishwasher (1, 1′). The system (10) includes a feed conveyor belt (11) for delivering washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to loading regions of the at least one conveyor dishwasher (1, 1′). The system (10) further includes a sorting arrangement for sorting the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) delivered to the loading regions of the at least one conveyor dishwasher (1, 1′) via the feed conveyor belt (11) according to previously defined or definable washware groups. The sorting arrangement is associated with at least one loading arrangement (13a, 13b, 13c) for automatically loading the different conveying tracks of the at least one conveyor dishwasher (1, 1′) with washware (9a, 9b, 9c) of one of the previously defined or definable washware groups.

The present disclosure discloses a production line for ceramic shell making and a method for ceramic shell making. The production line may include a conveyor chain system, a robotic arm, a slurry coating device, and a sanding device. The conveyor chain system may be configured to convey a batch of modules. The robotic arm may be configured to replace and remove one or more modules among the batch of modules relative to the conveyor chain system and hold the one or more modules during a plurality of subsequent operations. The robotic arm may be configured to be moveable to a plurality of positions each of which corresponds to one of a plurality of stations. The slurry coating device may be configured to coat the one or more modules in slurry. The sanding device may be configured to sand the one or more modules.

An automated unloading machine for unloading cut and trimmed raw poultry meat pieces from an upstream poultry meat cutting machine. The automated unloading machine is operably associated with a feed conveyer configured to support the cut and trimmed poultry meat pieces provided by the meat cutting machine. The automated unloading machine comprises one of an exit conveyor movable in a second direction and a packaging machine, an electronic controller configured to receive and process position and orientation data of the poultry meat pieces located on the feed conveyer, and a robotic picking device operatively associated with the electronic controller and configured to pick the poultry meat pieces from the feed conveyer and place them onto one of the exit conveyor and the packaging machine so that the cut and trimmed poultry meat pieces are arranged on one of the exit conveyor and the packaging machine in a desired orientation.

A method of repitching workpieces in an automated mass production system includes: (a) unloading a set of workpieces from a plurality of first retainers arranged at a first pitch, the unloading step including gripping of the workpieces by corresponding grippers of a repitch robot; (b) adjusting the workpieces from the first pitch to a second pitch different from the first pitch, the adjusting step including translating the grippers relative to each other from a first spacing corresponding to the first pitch to a second spacing corresponding to the second pitch; and (c) loading the workpieces into a plurality of corresponding second retainers arranged at the second pitch, the loading step including positioning and releasing the workpieces in the second retainers via the grippers.

A conveying apparatus for conveying a plate-shaped workpiece includes a holding unit that holds the plate-shaped workpiece under suction, a moving unit that moves in a vertical direction together with the holding unit, a detection unit that detects that the holding unit has moved downward and made contact with the plate-shaped workpiece, and a control unit that performs control to stop a downward movement of the moving unit when the detection unit detects that the holding unit has made contact with the plate-shaped workpiece.

A method for picking and placing items includes the steps of: providing a picking conveyor transporting items to be picked; providing a placing conveyor to which the items are to be placed; and providing a plurality of robots configured to move the items from pick positions on the picking conveyor to place positions on the placing conveyor. For at least one of the plurality of robots there is defined an actual work area A.sub.ac that fulfils the condition A.sub.ac<A.sub.th−(A.sub.ol+A.sub.ex), wherein A.sub.th is a theoretical work area, A.sub.ol is an overlapping work area and A.sub.ex is an excessive work area of the respective robot. By limiting the actual work area A.sub.ac of the robots more than what is done conventionally, the total workload between the robots in pick and place systems may be balanced.

According to an embodiment, a picking system having a holder, a controller, and a sensor is provided. The holder holds the object. The controller controls a motion of the holder. The sensor acquires information of the object. A failure detector of the controller detects a failure in a generation of the holding operation plan or a failure in a holding operation on the object by the holder. A determiner of the controller performs a first retry determination of deciding an operation for a retry in a case in which the failure detector detects the failure in the generation of the holding operation plan, and performing a second retry determination of deciding an operation for a retry in a case in which the failure detector detects the failure in a pickup of the object by the holder, the second retry determination being different from the first retry determination.