Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for July 27, 2016

Robots emerging as agricultural co-workers

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The technology is mature and ready for the field, say experts

Advanced engineering could be the solution for the sustainable intensification of agriculture, as technology for producing service robots reaches maturity.

Experts in robotics from University of Cambridge, University of Lincoln and Harper Adams University will be discussing the latest developments during Agri-Tech East’s Pollinator event on 11 October 2016.

So what exactly is a robot?  [Read more…] about Robots emerging as agricultural co-workers

Smart manufacturing a priority for CSIA

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The Control System Integrators Association (CSIA) says it is committed to connecting smart manufacturing to the automation industry. 

Today’s business marketplace is becoming more agile and intelligent as manufacturing is transformed by the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), says CSIA.

Smart manufacturing involves aligning information and communication technologies with US manufacturers across the country to manage their energy, productivity and costs in real-time.  [Read more…] about Smart manufacturing a priority for CSIA

Rapid growth of online orders welcomes robotics technology, says Axium

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One click. Delivered right to your door. Guaranteed overnight delivery. The messages are alluring, says Axium Solutions…

Convenience has spurred e-commerce’s growth, with more and more retailers stepping up big-time to promote their online wares.

E-commerce annual sales estimates range from $750 billion to $1.2 trillion for that huge digital partner and sometime nemesis of the bricks and mortar store.

Ever-shortening delivery times and an ever-widening range of choice have become goals on-line retailers all strive toward to attract shoppers.  [Read more…] about Rapid growth of online orders welcomes robotics technology, says Axium

IEEE experts ‘driven by unconventional inspiration’ to help humanity

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emily-surf-breaching

The IEEE says its experts are “driven by unconventional inspiration” to advance technologies and help humanity

Members within the IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for humanity, are incorporating outside technologies and ideas to drive innovation in a range of robotic fields such as disaster response, medical and biomechanical engineering. 

In this article, the IEE provides some areas its innovators are looking into.  [Read more…] about IEEE experts ‘driven by unconventional inspiration’ to help humanity

Omron develops new industrial computing platform

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omron industrial pc platform

Company says will make production sites integrated and intelligent

Omron is planning to release its new Industrial PC (IPC) platform in August. The company says the system will “innovate manufacturing through IoT utilization and high-speed, high-precision automation”.

The IPC is a PC architecture-based platform that meets strict quality standards required for factory automation devices and can be supplied stably on a long-term basis.

Omron assists manufacturers to make production equipment smarter by utilizing IoT and big data through the IPC.  [Read more…] about Omron develops new industrial computing platform

Daimler using deep learning to teach autonomous cars to drive themselves

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German auto giant Daimler is using deep learning techniques to teach its autonomous cars how to drive, and is boasting it has produced the smartest car in its market. 

The company is also working with Bosch and others on developing a smart car parking system, whereby human customers can simply pick up or drop off their cars in a designated area, perhaps at the entrance of a car park, and the car will go and park itself, or will come to the customer, depending on what’s required.

Daimler owns the Mercedes brand, among others, such as Benz, which is named after Carl Benz, who is credited with inventing the first motor vehicle 125 years ago. The original vehicle has been a celebrated museum piece for many decades.  [Read more…] about Daimler using deep learning to teach autonomous cars to drive themselves

A brief history of smart factories and new gadgets available to today’s manufacturers

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Jay Cadman, of Ubisense, talks about the history of smart factories and the new products today that are enabling many more businesses to realise the benefits of real-time location systems 

While the phrase “smart factory” is relatively recent, first coined at The Hanover Fair in 2011, the concept has been talked about in various forms for the past 30 years. And at Ubisense we’ve been creating smart factories for some of the world’s leading manufacturers in the automotive and discrete industries for more than a decade.

Ubisense’s Smart Factory product was originally designed to specifically help vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) tackle the challenges of managing ever increasing levels of complexity in assembly lines brought about by mass-customisation.

By placing ultra-wideband (UWB) tags on tools and mounting networked UWB sensors around the factory, we can locate and make sense of thousands of objects in a factory in real-time.  [Read more…] about A brief history of smart factories and new gadgets available to today’s manufacturers

Aethon ‘dramatically outpacing growth of robotics industry’

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aethon mobile robot

Aethon says it has continued its strong performance, growing first half bookings 160 per cent compared to the same period last year. 

Aethon’s growth was driven by strong sales of TUG autonomous mobile robots, selling a record 102 robots in the first half of 2016.

Aethon claims the TUG autonomous mobile robot is “the world-leading solution for autonomous material transport and delivery”.  [Read more…] about Aethon ‘dramatically outpacing growth of robotics industry’

Kuka and Boll shorten production times for Daimler

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kuka quantec daimler
The Kuka KR Quantec robot and the Binspect vision system from Boll Automation optimize the unloading of tubes for axle production at Daimler. Photo: Kuka

Solution integrating Kuka robots and Boll Automation technology at Daimler shortens cycle times and eliminates downtimes and set-up times

Boll Automation has developed an automation solution for the commercial vehicle manufacturer, Daimler.

In the solution, a Kuka KR Quantec robot cooperates with the Binspect vision system from Boll Automation in a bin picking system to optimize the unloading of tubes for the production of axles.  [Read more…] about Kuka and Boll shorten production times for Daimler

Nachi-Fujikoshi launches ‘new category’ of robot

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nachi-fujikoshi robot

Nachi-Fujikoshi has launched what it says is a new category robot, called Wing Slicer, of the type EZ series. 

The company says the new machine represents an expansion of the compact robot market.

Efforts to automate have been increasing with the objectives of improving productivity, reducing costs, and improving quality through the introduction of compact robots for automotive and industrial machinery applications.  [Read more…] about Nachi-Fujikoshi launches ‘new category’ of robot