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Accupak will bring a Kawasaki duAro dual-arm collaborative robot (cobot) to stand C200 at AUSPACK 2019.

The duAro has two arms which reach horizontally and move as a pair. According to AccuPak, this means the cobot can easily perform operations similar to those of a person using both arms within a one-person space.

It is also safe to operate around humans thanks to its collision detection systems and a function that slows it down when near a person, the company says, adding that because of these features, it can be reliably operated in tandem with human workers.

The robot is controlled by a single controller which makes it possible to perform coordinated movement, and direct teaching methods can be used to teach required movements by holding and moving the arms rather than having to program them in.

At an average cost of $50-75,000 per unit including vision system and systems integration work, the purchase of a cobot is within reach for most small and mid-sized enterprises, claims AccuPak.

The company will also exhibit a WIPOTEC-OCS HC-A checkweigher and a twin Fortress Stealth metal detector “combo” machine.

Food & Drink Business

Fonterra Co-operative Group has completed the sale of Mainland Group to French dairy giant Lactalis, closing a divestment process that began in mid-2024 when the co-op announced a strategic shift to become a pure-play global B2B dairy provider.

A potential combination of the world’s second and fifth largest spirits companies would create a $43.6 billion (US$30 billion) global player, second only to Diageo.

Tongala Nutrition has received a $1.5 million government grant through the new $150 million Victorian Investment Fund. The funding will support the company’s expansion, creating more than 40 new jobs in the region.