At IWF, robots were aplenty including those types of robots that work alongside, and with, woodworkers. In this exclusive video interview with Joe Campbell, senior manager, strategic marketing & application development for Universal Robots in Ann Arbor, Mich., we take a look at some of the robotic equipment and their applications for the woodworking industry.

in his booth

"So, for those of you who don't know Universal Robots," said Campbell, "we're the market leader in collaborative robots. Collaborative means our robots can be safely applied next to skilled human operators."

One example of the cobot on display was surface finishing robotic application crafted by partner Kane Rrobotics, a Texas-based systems integrator that specializes in surface finishing of all manner of materials including wood, plastics, metal and acrylic.

The system, a two-part demo, simulated the sanding of a door front and the second demo is the sanding of a guitar body.

"Those of you who have experience with guitars," said Campbell, "you like the nice shine and the smooth finish and this is where it starts. Kane has taken our cobot and leveraged the force sensing capability with their expertise and material removal knowledge, and they delivered a turnkey cell."