Code Engraving | Mech-Mind, FARobot, and XYZ Robotics Make Their Mark at iREX 2023

From November 29 to December 2, the International Robot Exhibition (iREX 2023) opened at Tokyo Big Sight. As one of the world's largest, most advanced, and most international robotics events, iREX 2023 drew nearly a thousand top global robotics companies, showcasing the most comprehensive and cutting-edge robotics technologies and products to attendees. This year's exhibition set new records for both scale and technical sophistication, delivering a visual feast for the global robotics community.

MaHui members Mech-Mind, FAIR Innovation, and XYZ Robotics all made appearances at iREX 2023.

1

Mech-Mind — The Largest Chinese Exhibitor by Floor Space

At this year's show, Mech-Mind occupied 378 square meters, making it the largest Chinese exhibitor. Together with 13 major partners, the company presented nearly thirty new intelligent robotics applications, spanning multi-scenario intelligent robotics and high-performance 3D vision sensors. The display comprehensively demonstrated the mature applications of its 3D vision technology across automotive, logistics, construction machinery, 3C, and new energy sectors.

Mech-Mind's AI + 3D vision technology has seen wide adoption in logistics handling and sorting scenarios, with large-scale deployments in depalletizing, pharmaceutical box picking, and parcel feeding applications.

Typical Logistics Handling Applications

• 3D vision-guided registration-free arbitrary-item grasping: New SKUs require no registration; intelligent stacking detection algorithms support stable grasping of bottles, boxes, semi-transparent items, dark-colored objects, and goods of varying sizes with complex patterns.
• 3D vision-guided tote depalletizing & workpiece racking: 3D vision guides the robot to sequentially pick tightly stacked totes and place them at designated locations; then identifies reflective workpieces and racks within the totes, precisely placing workpieces at fixed positions.
• 3D vision-guided multi-SKU mixed carton palletizing: High-quality imaging of cartons in varying sizes and colors, with cycle times in real mixed-palletizing scenarios fully meeting customer requirements.

Mech-Mind brings extensive technical and application experience to machine loading and unloading scenarios. At this iREX, the company demonstrated multiple typical workpiece loading/unloading applications across automotive, construction machinery, steel, and electronics sectors.

• Deep-bin grasping of highly reflective metal parts based on self-developed AI platform: The proprietary AI platform rapidly generates highly robust deep-learning models from workpiece CAD data, significantly improving recognition success rates and deep-bin clearance rates for complex workpieces (reflective, dark-colored, structurally complex, etc.).
• 3D vision-guided track link deep-bin grasping: Precisely identifies randomly stacked track links in deep bins, real-time calculating grasp sequence and angle for stable deep-bin retrieval.
• 3D vision-guided small workpiece and screw random grasping: Advanced 3D vision and deep learning algorithms enable precise identification of randomly stacked screws and small workpieces, guiding stable robotic grasping.

For industrial quality inspection, Mech-Mind demonstrated tire DOT character recognition and subframe inline measurement applications.

• Subframe inline measurement: Micron-precision 3D camera Mech-Eye UHP-140 combined with advanced 3D vision measurement algorithms and proprietary measurement software delivers high-precision measurement of critical subframe features. Measurement accuracy and speed both reach industry-leading levels, helping automotive and other industries achieve efficient, precise, real-time production quality monitoring.
• Tire DOT character recognition: High-quality imaging of texture-complex black tires, combined with advanced deep learning algorithms, enables high-precision recognition and localization of tire characters.

Mech-Mind also showcased the high-quality imaging capabilities of its flagship industrial 3D cameras — including the Mech-Eye LSR L, Mech-Eye PRO S, Mech-Eye NANO, and Mech-Eye UHP-140 — on various typical objects such as transparent, reflective, dark-colored, and irregularly shaped items.

The newly upgraded Mech-Eye PRO S employs proprietary imaging algorithms to generate high-quality 3D point clouds of common transparent objects including beverage bottles, medical test tubes, saline bags, and glass containers.

Mech-Mind's self-developed Mech-Eye LNX-8000 series 3D line laser profilometers also debuted at the show. The LNX-8000 series features 4K ultra-high resolution and 15kHz ultra-high-speed full-line-width scanning. Open and easy to use, it enables global users across industries to rapidly deploy high-precision inspection and measurement applications in 3C, new energy lithium batteries, automotive, and other sectors.

2

FAIR Innovation: Human-Robot Collaboration, Co-Creating the Future

As a pioneer in collaborative robot adoption that prioritizes supply chain innovation and maintains independent R&D capabilities, FAIR Innovation brought its full V6.0 product lineup to the exhibition. The V6.0 upgrade delivers greater flexibility, higher efficiency, enhanced safety, and increased modularity.

The intelligent welding workstation integrates the FR5 with a 3D camera and features a self-developed welding process package that automatically and precisely identifies weld seams for teach-free efficient operation. It not only rapidly adapts to mainstream global welding power supply brands but also flexibly combines with extension axes, positioners, force sensors, and more — supporting straight welding, segment welding, corner welding, multi-layer multi-pass welding, and other processes. Exhibition attendees were highly impressed by the workstation's remarkably open compatibility and convenient, user-friendly functionality.

The one-stop palletizing workstation, built around the FR20 with a maximum payload of 20kg, replaces manual labor for round-the-clock automated operation. Paired with a self-developed palletizing process package, setup completes in three steps — quick to learn, with strong software openness supporting modular development needs and adapting to various non-standard palletizing scenarios.

The BIN-PICKING workstation enables flexible deployment based on actual needs, achieving efficient human-robot collaboration. Equipped with a 3D camera and deep learning algorithms, it rapidly and accurately recognizes objects of varying shapes and sizes. It completes over 200 picks per hour on average, opening more possibilities for intelligent picking.

The intelligent screw driving equipment maintains torque accuracy within ±5%, automatically identifies hole positions, drives screws efficiently, and monitors in real time to prevent missed drives, floating heights, stripped threads, and other anomalies — ensuring every screw is fastened quickly, precisely, and consistently to the correct location.

3

XYZ Robotics: World's First Dual-Arm Truck Loading/Unloading Robot Debuts

At iREX 2023, XYZ Robotics unveiled RockyDual, the world's first dual-arm truck loading and unloading robot. Truck container loading and unloading is labor-intensive, with high costs and risks associated with manual handling. XYZ Robotics' solution eliminates direct human involvement in the operation — through simple remote control, it achieves safe, efficient fully automated loading and unloading, adaptable to multiple dock specifications, significantly improving productivity and quality in warehousing and logistics.

By applying multiple advanced technologies including SLAM navigation algorithms, deep learning and vision algorithms, motion planning algorithms, and gripper design, the RockyDual robot demonstrates outstanding advantages in mobility, deployability, and efficiency. Operating within warehouses, RockyDual moves freely, loads and unloading autonomously, and flexibly adapts to various complex scenarios. It rapidly recognizes unknown box types and, through seamless dual-arm coordination, achieves accurate, fast operation within the confined space of truck containers. Facing top-layer cartons, RockyDual also executes flexible grasping and stable placement.

At iREX 2023, the outstanding performances of Chinese robotics companies Mech-Mind, FAIR Innovation, and XYZ Robotics undoubtedly painted a promising picture for the future development of China's robotics industry.

China's robotics industry is trending toward greater intelligence and autonomy. Mech-Mind's AI + 3D vision technology, FAIR Innovation's human-robot collaboration technology, and XYZ Robotics' dual-arm truck loading/unloading robot all vividly embody this trend. These technologies not only boost production efficiency but also substantially reduce risks from manual operation.

Moreover, the industry is moving toward greater specialization. From logistics handling and welding workstations to palletizing workstations, screw driving equipment, and truck loading/unloading robots, Chinese robotics companies are developing increasingly professional and precise solutions tailored to specific application scenarios.

Going forward, as technology continues advancing and market demand keeps growing, China's robotics industry will develop more rapidly and penetrate more deeply. We have every reason to believe that Chinese robotics companies will play an increasingly important role in the global robotics industry, contributing more to global technological progress and social development.