Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for May 23, 2016

Quantum Plastics invests $2m in new robot and manufacturing system

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HAITIAN Mars II Injection Molding Machine (PRNewsFoto/Quantum Plastics)
HAITIAN Mars II Injection Molding Machine (PRNewsFoto/Quantum Plastics)

New presses and robot systems are replacing ageing machines at the Quantum Plastics, River Bend Industries Division in Victor, Iowa, US.

Quantum Plastics recently added two new Absolute Haitian injection molding machines and two new Yushin automation robots to its manufacturing floor.

The new equipment aligns with Quantum Plastics’ environmental initiative and uses the latest technology to manufacture detailed parts. The new 1100 and 2000 ton presses are Haitian Mars Servo-Hydraulic Energy Saving Toggle Clamp machines.  [Read more…] about Quantum Plastics invests $2m in new robot and manufacturing system

Fetch signs deal with SAP on logistics robot warehouse system

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Fetch Robotics has entered a partnership with SAP that incorporates SAP Extended Warehouse Management (SAP EWM) application with the Fetch and Freight robots from Fetch Robotics.

Fetch Robotics builds robot systems for the logistics industry. Unveiled in May 2015, the Fetch Robotics system is comprised of an autonomous mobile platform (called Freight) and an advanced mobile manipulator (called Fetch).

Fetch and Freight use a charging dock for continuous operations, allowing the robots to charge when needed and then continue on with their tasks. In addition, the system includes accompanying fleet management software, fetchcore, to support the robots and integrate with the warehouse environment.  [Read more…] about Fetch signs deal with SAP on logistics robot warehouse system

MiR opens US office, launches autonomous mobile robot into North America

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Mobile Industrial Robots, MiR, has opened its first US office and is launching its autonomous mobile robot – the MiR100 – in the North American market.

MiR says its robots are already in use in 19 countries at prominent manufacturers such as Leoni, Flextronics, and Continental.

MiR says its products are at the forefront of a new generation of autonomous mobile robots whose ease of use, flexibility and payback of less than a year. The company believes it will secure a leadership role in North America.

The emerging mobile robot industry is expected to achieve total sales of 14,500 units and revenue of $20 billion over the next three years according to the International Federation of Robotics.  [Read more…] about MiR opens US office, launches autonomous mobile robot into North America

General Electric invests $400m in first advanced manufacturing plants

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GE has opened its new state-of-the-art Advanced Manufacturing Works (AMW) in the US as the GE Power business continues to introduce tomorrow’s technologies, today.

The announcement comes on the heels of GE’s grand opening of its first additive manufacturing center in Pittsburgh in early April and represents the next step forward in GE’s journey as the world’s premiere digital industrial company.

GE has invested $73 million in the facility to date and will invest another $327 million across the GE Power Greenville campus over the next several years to drive innovation and the faster development of best-in-class technologies that deliver more value for customers across the globe. At least 80 engineering and manufacturing jobs are being created with the facility’s opening.  [Read more…] about General Electric invests $400m in first advanced manufacturing plants

Kuka signs deal with HIT Robots Group in China

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kuka hrg
Kuka and Hit Robot Group sign the deal

Chinese company HIT Robot Group (HRG) has signed an agreement with Kuka Robotics (Shanghai) to work on a range of projects on the applications of industrial robots in intelligent manufacturing and Industry 4.0.

By exploiting the advantages of both sides, the two companies say they will try to extend the applications of industrial robotics in different fields.

Kuka is one of the world’s largest robot manufacturing companies. HRG has the support and resources from the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), China’s top robotics institution.

Wang Yang, VP of HRG, says: “Kuka robots are famed for precision and control technologies; while the advantage of HRG is in secondary platform development, especially in the application of advanced parameters.

“We are devoted to further developing the open type platform which is based on the youBot for the application of robotic products, and we are doing a great job here. This cooperation between the two giants will boost the expansion of the robot market for HRG.”  [Read more…] about Kuka signs deal with HIT Robots Group in China

Water-based reconfigurable robot could offer new solutions to underground pipe network inspection

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sheffield uni marine robot concept

Researchers at the University of Sheffield have created an aquatic robot which could be used to inspect otherwise inaccessible pipe networks to deal with blockages.

The researchers revealed their findings later this week at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2016) – the world’s largest gathering in robotics, held this year in Stockholm, Sweden.

The study looks at a set of robotic modules that, similar to Lego, can be assembled into robots of arbitrary shape. This allows robots to be customised to meet the changing demands of their task.  [Read more…] about Water-based reconfigurable robot could offer new solutions to underground pipe network inspection

Engineers’ institute welcomes laws requiring driverless vehicles to have certificates

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driverless car test
Driverless car software will require certificates from the Ministry of Transport before being allowed on the road. Picture courtesy: E&T IET

The UK is to introduce laws and regulations that will require driverless vehicle software makers to obtain Ministry of Transport certificates 

New laws announced in the Queen’s Speech recently will allow fully autonomous vehicles to be insured under normal policies in the UK.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) says the announcement is an “important step forward” which will ultimately improve road safety and reduce congestion. 

But the IET adds that the Government also needs to introduce legislation to improve cyber security in autonomous vehicles.  [Read more…] about Engineers’ institute welcomes laws requiring driverless vehicles to have certificates

The critical role of innovative automation for fast-growing online retailers

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By Thomas R. Cutler

Park City, Utah-based Backcountry.com is a great example of the powerful growth in the online e-tailing sector. Twenty years ago the company comprised of two men, a stack of avalanche beacons, and a garage in Park City; the company has grown to become one of the leading online specialty retailers in the United States, selling clothing and outdoor gear for hiking, camping, road biking, mountain hiking, rock and ice climbing, mountaineering, skiing, avalanche safety, snowboarding, fly fishing, kayaking, rafting, road and trail running, and more.

Jeff Carter, senior vice president of global fulfillment, at Backcountry.com, says: “Our mission is to connect people to their passions and enable them to get outdoors and enjoy the gear.”

When Carter started with the company in 2001, it shipped 265 packages on its busiest day. This past year, the company shipped about 60,000 on its busiest day. The journey has involved quite a transformation in material handling and distribution. The role of automation has made this all possible.  [Read more…] about The critical role of innovative automation for fast-growing online retailers