FANUC set to prove collaboration is key to automation success at Smart Factory Expo

Factory automation expert FANUC UK will highlight the benefits of collaboration at this year’s Smart Factory Expo by showcasing the latest robotics innovations in conjunction with THREE of its system integrator partners. Cyan Tec, Cyber-Weld and Expert Technologies will join FANUC on stand F40 at the NEC in Birmingham on 3-4 June for the UK’s most comprehensive gathering of smart manufacturing and engineering technologies.

Visitors to the FANUC stand can enjoy automation demonstrations featuring collaborative augmented reality welding, advanced sensing and vision systems, transfer and handling solutions, and a modular automation platform dubbed ‘a factory in a box’.

Live robotic technology showcase

Renowned for designing and building complex, precision engineered systems for demanding production environments, Cyan Tec works across a range of sectors including advanced manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, defence and medical devices. At this year’s show, its live ‘Technology Showcase’ demo cell on the FANUC stand will prove in real time how best-in-class automation building blocks can integrate seamlessly into a single, compact and highly capable system.

Bringing together a selection of technologies that commonly feature across many of Cyan Tec’s real-world applications, the demo cell features robotic automation from FANUC alongside advanced sensing and vision systems, transfer and handling solutions, high-speed drives, gripper technologies, industrial communication protocols, air gapped security concepts, and high-end PLC and HMI interfaces.

Augmented reality welding

Specialising in bespoke robotic welding systems, Cyber-Weld’s solutions help UK manufacturers increase production efficiency and remain competitive on the global stage. The FANUC system integrator partner will showcase its flagship Soldamatic Augmented Reality Welding cell – featuring a FANUC CRX10-iA collaborative robot – which aims to strengthen manufacturers’ welding capabilities.

Offering multiple virtual welding environments that replicate real-world scenarios, Soldamatic enables the rapid upskilling of employees by significantly accelerating learning for practical applications. Visitors to the FANUC stand can see for themselves how combining immersive augmented reality with collaborative robotics enables faster skills development while reducing material wastage and consumable costs throughout the training process – all within a safe, flexible and future ready welding environment.

Scalable manufacturing with ‘factory in a box’

Also on stand F40 will be Expert Technologies, another long-standing FANUC system integrator partner. Delivering advanced automation and robotic solutions, its systems are designed to optimise processes, improve productivity and ensure quality at every stage of production. Live on the stand will be Flexcell, a modular automation platform from Expert Technologies dubbed a factory in a box, that scales seamlessly from early-stage prototyping through to full production, without requiring costly redesigns or rebuilds. Highly versatile, it can be deployed across virtually any operational use case, from manufacturing and assembly to inspection, testing and material handling, with its phased approach reducing waste and time-to-value by up to 20%.

Cost-effective robot integration

“FANUC’s integrator network brings together industry expertise from a wide range of sectors, with each valued partner providing tailored automation solutions,” says Oliver Selby, FANUC UK’s Head of Sales. “We’re proud to showcase the solutions of three of these partners at Smart Factory Expo, demonstrating live on our stand how they successfully integrate FANUC robots to drive cost efficiency, optimise production and deliver real value to UK manufacturers.”