A robotic ‘golden ticket’ for UK companies

24th March 2017

Joe Bush

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A European-wide initiative has been launched to enhance robotic technology and several UK businesses have secured one of 25 available ‘golden tickets’ to get involved. Automata Technologies, Hexagon Metrology, Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) and Russell Finex are the latest UK beneficiaries from the second and final round of the ROBOTT-NET Voucher Programme, which saw the in-demand vouchers handed out.

In all, 64 vouchers have been given out via the programme, entitling each recipient to receive highly specialised consultancy from a broad field of the brightest robotics experts around Europe, with the aim of bringing their ideas to fruition.

A total of 166 companies spread across 12 European countries applied for a voucher from the European robotic technology transfer network, which is a collaboration between the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry, Danish Technological Institute (DTI) from Denmark, Fraunhofer IPA from Germany and Tecnalia from Spain.

A range of businesses including start-ups, SMEs, large companies and institutions were able to apply for a voucher. From the set of the 64 winning vouchers, eight companies will be selected for further assistance and funding towards a pilot project.

Jeremy Hadall, Chief Technologist in robotics and automation at the MTC, said: “With the announcement of the final 25 vouchers in the ROBOTT-NET programme, the MTC is now working with a number of UK companies to develop their robot technologies and applications to allow them to grow their competitive position.

“This is great news for the UK economy as these technologies will increase productivity and jobs and have the potential to grow market share both locally and internationally.

“Working with our partners in ROBOTT-NET, the MTC is now working on creating technological and business value in the vouchers so that eight of the 64 can be selected later this year and taken through to a full pilot stage.”

One of the important aims of ROBOTT-NET is to strengthen the technology transfer between the participating research and technology organisations (RTOs) and the European manufacturing industry.

To realise this technology transfer, all partners in ROBOTT-NET will run general courses for industry management as a complementary activity to voucher and pilot work systems. This will benefit participants to take strategic decisions and investments in technologies.

The MTC will be holding a ROBOTT-NET course on April 24-25th.