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Techman’s new TM30S cobot is designed for various industrial tasks. | Source: Techman Robotics

Techman Robot launched its TM30S collaborative robot arm for palletizing this week. The TM30S is an extension of the Taiwan-based company’s TM AI cobot series. The TM30S has a maximum payload of 35 kg (77.16 lbs) and a reach of 1,702 mm (67.01 in) across six joints. 

Techman equipped its latest robot with built-in smart vision and a 3D camera. It uses 3D and AI recognition technology to detect size and position information. The company says this technology allows the robot to arrange items without the need for pre-specified stacking patterns. Additionally, the TM30S can handle complex scenarios like tilting, fitting, and tape wrapping, achieving efficient AI mixed case palletizing.

Techman says the TM30S is designed for a range of tasks involving palletizing and packaging, pick-and-place jobs, material handling, and heavy machine tending. The cobot leverages AI to provide highly automated production efficiency in smart manufacturing. It also has smart vision and peripheral software integration, and a more intuitive user interface than previous Techman models, the company said.

New cobot partnership raises questions

Techman entered into a strategic partnership with OMRON in 2018 to meet the increasing automation needs generated by labor shortages. OMRON sold the TM series cobot arms as co-branded products globally through its distribution network. The companies also jointly developed a mobile manipulator that combines OMRON’s mobile robot and TM series cobot arms.

In 2021, OMRON bought a 10% stake in Techman Robot. Through the investment, OMRON aimed to jointly develop innovative robots that combine OMRON factory automation equipment with Techman’s collaborative robots, ensuring both safety and productivity and offering a solution to the issue of labor shortages at manufacturing sites.

Last month, however, OMRON partnered with NEURA Robotics. This partnership unveiled at Automate 2024 “cognitive robots” for manufacturing. The new iCR cobot series was used in demos at the event, but it also raised questions about what the future holds for Techman and OMRON’s relationship.

A source at OMRON told The Robot Report that it is working with NEURA to diversify its offerings to weather modern geopolitics.

A well-known robotics industry veteran told The Robot Report, “In the past, the relationship between [Techman] and OMRON was frayed, but a distributor insisted it has improved. Still, NEURA is at another level. If what I’m seeing is true, NEURA’s robots are smart and much easier to use.”

However, an OMRON spokesperson said, “The NEURA partnership will not impact our partnership with Techman. We [will] continue working with Techman, and the TM cobot is still a big part of our cobot series.”