1. Origin. Definition. Classification

1.1 History

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1.1.1 Automatic machines

As in all areas of materials handling, we are often surprised by the relatively late arrival (1959, the first American patent) of multi-axis handling equipment in the industrial sector. Previous generations were a collection of one-way moving devices.

As we shall see, the gradual sophistication of production machinery was often behind the development of these handling devices. They were virtually non-existent in factories before 1940. This was due to the...