UK conveyor manufacturer Advance Automated Systems used Robotics and Automation 2019 as an opportunity to announce that it has joined the Rolling On Interroll (ROI) programme.

Established four years ago by Interroll, the programme seeks to create a climate where best practices can be shared. Now with 96 members globally covering 39 countries, the on-going ambition of ROI is to develop quality and leadership in the materials handling industry.

According to Bryn Roberts, senior project engineer at Advance Automated Systems, entry into the programme will enable the company to do more business with European and US organisations that work in in areas that aren’t its core expertise.

“The inclusion in the global ROI group gives us strength, depth and reach that we could never have as a single entity. It means we can work on larger projects and bring in partners that deal in robotics, software and warehouse management systems, which opens up new opportunities for us,” said Roberts.

The senior project engineer also revealed that one of Advance’s software engineers is currently developing a virtual reality platform that will allow the company to perform training work and to be used for product design purposes.

“We take the 3D models that we use solid works for and put them into VR software,” said Roberts. “The user wears a headset to walk around the conveyor system and see inside the system, making it ideal for maintenance and operator training.”