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The purpose of this paper is the increase the flexibility of robots used for handling of 3D (food) objects handling by the development and evaluation of a novel 3D Bernoulli gripper.

A new gripper technology have been designed and evaluated. A deformable surface have been used to enable individual product handling. The lift force generated and the force exerted on the product during gripping is measured using a material tester instrument. Various products are tested with the gripper. A experimental/theoretical approach is used to explain the results.

A deformable surface can be used to generate a lift force using the Bernoulli principle on 3D objects. Using a small forming a significant increase in the lift force generated is recorded. Increasing the forming further was shown to have little or even negative effects. The forces exerted on the product during forming was measured to be sufficiently low to avoid product damage.

To be able to improve the grippers lift strength a better model and understanding of the flow is needed.

A novel Bernoulli gripper for 3D Bernoulli gripping have been designed and evaluated. The gripper enables flexible and delicate handling of various product shapes, 3D as well as 2D. Increased utilization of robots in the food industry can be gained.

ABB has launched a new robot controller, the fifth generation IRC5. One of its major features is MultiMove, a function that enables fully coordinated control of up to 36 axes, equal to four six‐axis robots plus work positioners or other servo devices. This opens up new application areas with a combination of handling and processing robots, including balanced welding and multiple robot manipulation to increase lifting capacity and/or protect large flimsy workpieces. Benefits are higher relative speeds, minimal in‐cycle waiting and improved weld quality. Other features of the IRC5 are its modularity, with a logical split of control and axis drive functions and simple two‐cable connection, and a completely new ergonomically designed interface unit running under Windows CE.NET with full colour touch screen and Windows menus and icons.

Like productivity in the 1970s and quality in the 1980s, flexibility will be the popular operations and production management theme in the 1990s. Contrary to much of what is being written, warns that flexibility is not necessarily achieved through computer integration. Enthusiasm to embrace flexibility in order to achieve competitive advantage often leads to integration projects which are inadequately planned and under designed. Such projects do not result in true flexible integration but rather in what the author terms hard integration. Similar to the tooling in a hard automated system, the information interfaces in a hard integrated system are linked in a fixed and rigid manner. Hard integration reduces, not enhances, flexibility.

Briefly reviews previous literature by the author before presenting an original 12 step system integration protocol designed to ensure the success of companies or countries in their efforts to develop and market new products. Looks at the issues from different strategic levels such as corporate, international, military and economic. Presents 31 case studies, including the success of Japan in microchips to the failure of Xerox to sell its invention of the Alto personal computer 3 years before Apple: from the success in DNA and Superconductor research to the success of Sunbeam in inventing and marketing food processors: and from the daring invention and production of atomic energy for survival to the successes of sewing machine inventor Howe in co‐operating on patents to compete in markets. Includes 306 questions and answers in order to qualify concepts introduced.

A literature review is presented in the subject of construction plant and equipment management (CPeM) to: delineate the subject; consider its development over recent years; and identify principal themes within it. The paper aims to close the gap in knowledge, by using these objectives as a mechanism to observe how research themes relate to primary CPeM functions, and to suggest future research direction.

A thematic review of CPeM academic literature (in the main, refereed journal papers published in English‐speaking countries over the last decade) is undertaken; the nature of identified themes is discussed, for instance, regarding why they might have evolved as they have; and based on the foregone, themes for future research in the field are proffered.

CPeM is found well established within the broader subject of construction management. Eight principal themes are identified, namely plant maintenance; downtime and productivity; optimisation; robotics and automation; health and safety; operators and competence; machine control; and “miscellaneous”.

It is proffered that based on informational/technological advancements coupled with growing environmental/financial pressures, future CPeM research will strive to facilitate even greater plant reliability and safer modes of working. It is suggested that “optimum production methods” and “minimal resource consumption” will become inherent theme goals.

This is the first time that CPeM research has been consolidated and reviewed for publication in this manner.