A method of producing thermoplastic resin composite material in which a main base material containing thermoplastic resin and a sheet-like shaped auxiliary base material are integrally molded and are made into composite material. The production method includes the steps of: heating the auxiliary base material (step S1); disposing the heated auxiliary base material in a mold (step S2); disposing the main base material in the mold via the auxiliary base material (step S3); closing the mold, and pressing together and integrally molding the auxiliary base material and the main base material (step S4); and taking out the integrally-molded thermoplastic resin composite material from the mold.

Systems, apparatus, and methods of manufacturing an article using electroadhesion technology for the pick-up and release of materials, respectively.

A gripper for a laboratory container sorting device includes a vacuum gripper and a mechanical gripper. The vacuum gripper includes a suction cup and is configured to move the suction cup between a pickup position and a transfer position. The suction cup is configured to pick up a laboratory container when the suction cup is in the pickup position and to transfer the laboratory container when the suction cup is in the transfer position. The mechanical gripper is configured to grip and release the laboratory container when the suction cup is in the transfer position. A laboratory container sorting device, a laboratory system, and a method of operating the laboratory system are also disclosed.

A transfer device to transfer an article by moving the article in a front-rear direction includes a base portion, a support plate movable in the front-rear direction with respect to the base portion and able to support a bottom surface of the article, a front-rear actuator that actuates the support plate in the front-rear direction with respect to the base portion, a suction device that is provided on the base portion to be movable in a vertical direction to suction a side surface of the article, and a vertical actuator that actuates the suction device at least in an ascending direction with respect to the base portion and supports the suction device to be detachable from the suction device in a descending direction.

A multiple suction cup apparatus for lifting an object includes the capability of exchanging a large and small suction cup. At least one interlock enables the large or small suction cup to be deployed. The interlocks include passive interlocks, such as ball detents and conventional magnets, and active interlocks, such as a twist lock and electronic actuated magnets.

A robotic system configured to use a multi-mode end effector is disclosed. In various embodiments, a grasp strategy is determined for a robot to grasp an object in a workspace, wherein the determined grasp strategy is associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of grasping modes of operation of a multi-mode robotic end effector associated with the robot. A command to grasp the object using the multi-mode robotic end effector in the grasping mode of operation associated with the determined grasp strategy is sent to the robot.

A multi-mode robotic end effector is disclosed. In various embodiments, a multi-mode robotic end effector includes a first set of structures configured to grasp objects in a first mode of operation; a retraction mechanism configured to retract the first set of structures to a stowed position associated with a second mode of operation in response to a retraction command; and a second set of structures configured to grasp objects in a second mode of operation.

A plate transport device includes a main body, first and second moving members and first and second elastic members. The main body has an intermediate supporter. The first and second moving members have first and second supporters, respectively. The first and second moving members are supported to be movable in a first direction with respect to the main body. The first elastic member is provided between the intermediate supporter and the first supporter, and supplies a first biasing force directed toward the intermediate supporter in the first direction to the first moving member. The second elastic member is provided between the intermediate supporter and the second supporter, and supplies a second biasing force, which is directed toward the intermediate supporter in the first direction and opposite to the direction in which the first biasing force is directed, to the second moving member.

Using a suction gripper cluster device is disclosed, including: causing airflows to be generated by a plurality of airflow generators of a respective plurality of suction gripper mechanisms included in a suction gripper cluster device comprising a plurality of suction gripper mechanisms, wherein the plurality of airflow generators is configured to cause the airflows to enter respective intake ports of the plurality of suction gripper mechanisms and exit respective outlet ports of the respective plurality of suction gripper mechanisms in response to receiving air at a respective air input port of the respective plurality of suction gripper mechanisms; causing a target object to be captured by the suction gripper cluster device using the airflows; activating a positioning actuator mechanism to position the suction gripper cluster device; and causing the target object to be ejected from the suction gripper cluster device.

Systems, apparatus, and methods of manufacturing an article using electroadhesion technology, either as a sole modality of handling such materials or in concert with at least one mechanically actuated modality for the pick-up and release of materials, respectively. The mechanically actuated modality in one embodiment is configured as a netting configured to be placed over a contact surface of an electroadhesive plate to facilitate the handling of an object.